This New, Unwanted Feeling
by PeaKay
Summary: It was so strange. He was the Ultimate Lifeform - he shouldn't feel, he didn't feel - period. Then, what was so different about her? Mainly ShadowxBlaze, Shadaze, but also Sonamy, Knouge and Tairine
1. Meeting

**EDIT: The original first chapter was really short, and since I thought it could use some more writing, here it is! Nothing was really removed form the original chapter, but I added a lot more, just to give it some length and depth. **

**Anyways, hope you like this chapter, and, if you choose to read the rest, enjoy those as well!**

**Oh and I own Sonic and co...........in an alternate universe where I am the supreme ruler of GNOMES! Muahahahaha!**

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Shadow tensed up as he walked through the grass, still wet from the morning dew that had showered earlier. He felt as if he should be on the defense, that something was going to happen. He just wasn't sure exactly what.

He sighed, everyone was busy with something. A weird, lavender cat had showed up a few days ago, so everyone was busy with her. Even Robotnik was busy with trying to grow hair, not that Shadow wanted to think about that.

To add to his bitter mood, Rouge had kicked him out of their apartment. Rouge ordered him to either cheer up, or leave. Sonic and the others were coming over for a visit, including the strange visitor, and she made it clear that having Shadow groan and complain while they visited would put a damper on things. So, here he was. Bitter, moody, angry, and above all, bored.

The only thing for Shadow to do, was to sit down and think. The sky was still a soft pink as Shadow sat down on the wet grass. At first, he didn't really know what to think about, then thought about many things. He thought about the upcoming winter, his time aboard the ARK, the last Christmas he spent with Maria, and, to his misfortune, his thoughts drifted to Rouge and the others.

_What would they be doing now,_ he asked himself. _What's so special about that cat anyway? _He caught a glimpse of her, before he left the apartment, that is. Her fur was a light purple, eyes was a deep cold, and, well, there wasn't much else to her. From the way she acted when he passed by, she wasn't the type of person he would expect Sonic to be friends with. She seemed more shy, to herself. If what he thought of her was true, then how in the hell could she be able to stand Sonic, or the others? They were all nuts, that's what Shadow thought. _Either nuts or crazy…or moronic…whatever suits them best._

The clouds drifted by slowly, so slowly that it seemed the hands on a clock would move faster than they were. This kept him content, immediately calming him. It was nice to stare at the sky, even though Shadow didn't really see the point in doing so. He overlooked the city below him, and relaxed his arms slightly. He didn't feel the need to be on edge, not anymore.

Until he heard footsteps.

Shadow turned his head to see the lavender cat he spotted earlier. She was just as surprised as him, she had been expecting to be alone. She hadn't realized that someone was already sitting there. She opened her mouth to say something, but didn't. Instead she stayed rooted at her spot.

"Who are you?" Shadow demanded, close to a growl. Friendly fellow isn't he?

"I'm Queen Blaze the Cat, guardian of the Sol Emeralds, you?" The lavender cat crossed her arms defiantly.

Shadow eyes widened, he hadn't expected her to actually answer. "Shadow the Hedgehog."

"The name seems appropriate," she commented, obviously referring to his dark fur and blunt speech.

He frowned in response. He wondered if he should try to shake her hand. He decided against it. She might be friends with Sonic and them, but they were fools anyway. This girl could be dangerous, Shadow couldn't quite tell.

"So," he started. "You're foreign here, I assume."

"You're right. How did you know?"

He gave her a look-over. "You're friends with Sonic. You're supposed to be at my apartment, visiting."

"Oh, well about that…I needed to get out. I'm still not used to all of them, so I went for a walk, and here I am." She paused. "Are you a friend of Sonic's?"

"No."

His rich voice said the word viciously, and Blaze knew right then and there that Shadow the hedgehog was someone to watch out for. She swallowed and looked up to the sky. "You look like you could run fast like him."

Shadow didn't expect her to say that. "What?"

"Sonic, he runs fast. You can tell that when you first meet him." She rolled her eyes. "I mean, you look like you can run like him."

"I can run faster than that faker."

She peered at the ebony hedgehog. There's no way anyone could be faster than Sonic. It just wasn't possible. Maybe _as fast_, but not faster. "I doubt it."

"'Doubt it?'" he questioned, insulted. "Listen kitty, there is no doubt. I'm the Ultimate lifeform."

Blaze smirked as she laughed, "Ultimate lifeform huh?"

"What's so funny?" Shadow asked, raising his voice.

Blaze cocked an eyebrow, picking up the anger in his tone. "Why would they give you a name like that?"

Shadow stood so he was eye-to-eye with this…this…_thing_. "That's what I am, want me to prove it?!"

Blaze sighed, "I'm not looking for a fight, I was just wondering why you would be a lifeform!"

"Why would I tell you?!"

"I didn't expect you to!"

"Then why did you ask?!"

"I was trying to make conversation!"

"Maybe I don't want one!"

"That's fine by me! Forget I ever talked to you!"

Blaze quickly turned on her and walked off, heat and anger radiating off of her. She wanted to burn his head. Her first encounter with Sonic went smoother than this, and that, is pretty bad. _Screw him, I'm leaving…_

Shadow huffed. It was the first time someone had actually stood up for themselves against him. Why did that seem so strange? He shook his head, not bothering to think anymore.

Even if he tried to ignore it, he had the strangest feeling it wouldn't be their last encounter…

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**Hope you like this version better than the older one!**

**Read and review!**

**-Peachykatara  
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	2. Not the Best Get Together

**The second chapter! Good times, good times…**

**So anyway this is going to be longer than the first, much more dialogue. So read and review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog and co. They belong to SEGAAAAAAA! Seriously, do you really think I would be writing fanfictions on it when I owned the company? Hello?!**

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Blaze stormed off in a huff. They had only exchanged a handful of sentences, and she already hated his guts. _That…that…EMOHOG! What was his name? Death or something? Oh who cares?! Not me!_

Shadow trotted off towards Rouge's apartment. He wasn't bothered at all. That purple cat never got under his skin. He wasn't irritated the slightest bit. He was…he was…he was…

…he was mad as HELL.

Clenching his fists, he stomped all the way to his (More like Rouge's) apartment, walked in, and slammed the door.

"Not in the best of moods are we dear?" A familiar voice rang. Shadow sighed.

"Nothing gets past you does it Rouge?" Shadow snapped. Rouge rolled her eyes.

"Stop being such a drama queen! We have company."

"Miss me faker?" Sonic shouted. Shadow and Rouge walked into the room to see Sonic and the others. Tails was sitting by Rouge, who had taken her place on the couch with Knuckles, Knuckles showing slight irritation and embarrassment. On the couch across from them was Amy, beaming as always, and Sonic in the middle. And to Sonic's left was…

…_No…_

…_That…that..._

…none other than Blaze the Cat, equally angry as him.

"YOU!!!!!" They yelled at each other in unison. The others looked at each other in confusion.

"Seems you met Shady here." Sonic teased.

"Call me that again and die." Shadow growled, his eyes narrowing. Sonic just smirked back.

"Blaze? How did you meet Shadow?" Amy asked, curious.

Blaze stood up, her golden eyes ablazing (pardon the pun). "You mean the 'Ultimate Lifeform here? Ha, wasn't that pleasant."

Shadow pointed at her threateningly. "Watch what you say cat!"

"What are you going to do? Stare at me to death?"

"That's it, your going to regret this day Blaze!"

"Bring it on!"

"Cat!"

"Hedgehog!"

"Thing!"

"Creature!"

"FREAK!"

"MONSTER!"

As the flames starting growing around Blaze's body, Shadow pulled out a Chaos Emerald, ready to attack right back.

"STOP IT! YOU'RE GOING TO WRECK MY APARTMENT!" Rouge interrupted, holding them both back (which was quite the struggle).

Tails stood up too. "Whatever happened, you should both just forget it. We're all friends remember?"

Shadow snorted. He never really considered any of them to be his 'friends', except Rouge of course. Rouge was in fact his best friend. She even took him in when he had no place to go. They were very close, even if they did argue a lot. Shadow also knew he didn't hate Amy, how could he? She was actually pretty nice to him. Shadow didn't hold anything against her, except for the fact that she wouldn't shut up about a certain blue faker Shadow loathed.

Shadow looked over to see Blaze blushing. "What the hell are you blushing for?"

Blaze eyes widened and blushed red even harder. Shadow swore he heard her whisper, "Friends…"

Sonic laughed and stood up as he put his arm around Blaze's shoulders. "Ah Blaze, I thought you got over your shy stage."

Blaze shifted uncomfortably under his arm as she smiled. "I…I guess I'm still not used to all of you." She then looked at Shadow as she stepped towards him. "Uh, Shadow, I guess I overreacted. I'm…sorry."

Shadow looked at the others, then to the floor, then back at Blaze. Instead of replying, he just nodded.

Rouge, who was standing next to Shadow, elbowed his side. "Apologize Shadow. This is just as much as your fault as it is hers."

Shadow became defensive, as usual, "Why should I?"

Blaze just sighed, "Whatever. Forget it. I'll see you and Tails back at the house then Sonic?" She asked, forcing a smile.

Sonic winked. "Right Blaze!"

Blaze turned and looked at Rouge, Amy and Knuckles. "Thank you for the visit. I hope to see you again before I leave for my own dimension."

Shadow thought about what she had just said. _Her own dimension?_

Sonic headed out in front of Blaze and zoomed out of the apartment. Blaze soon followed after, but as she passed Shadow, she rammed her shoulder against his, her heat radiating off of her lavender fur.

Shadow stumbled, rubbing the heat out of his fur, muttering about mood swings as he went into his own room. Tails, Knuckles, and Amy said their goodbyes to Rouge as they also went out the door. Rouge sighed; it was no wonder Shadow didn't make friends that easily. All he did was anger them until they left.

Rouge walked into Shadow's room, slamming the door against the wall. Shadow eyes snapped open and he groaned. "What?"

Rouge threw her hands up in frustration. "You know, Blaze was actually a pretty cool chick to talk to today, and you have to come in and almost start a fight with her!"

"Talk to her! She's the one with issues." Shadow muttered, obviously wanting to be alone.

"Oh really? Sorry, I thought it was you that was Miss Emo Princess!"

Shadow sat up in his bed, furious. "Shut the hell up! Get out of my room!"

Rouge just stomped her foot. "You could of at LEAST apologized back. Sonic warned me about how shy and sensitive she was and you just made it worse by not trying to make up!"

Shadow groaned. "Why would I care about her?" He just wanted to be alone and listen to his MP3. Why was Rouge in such a fit?

Rouge sighed, her arms drooping. "Forget it Shadow! I decided I was tired of not talking to anyone besides you and decided to try to make some friends, or at least someone to hang out with. You can rot in this damn room for all I care! Just remember your going to rot alone!" With that Rouge slammed the door shut. Shadow listened to her footsteps until she slammed another door, obviously leaving the apartment.

Shadow lay back down and turned on his MP3. While the songs played, he thought about what Rouge said.

'_You can rot in this damn room for all I care! Just remember your going to rot alone!'_

'_**Alone!'**_

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**Well, I hope this chapter is better than the first. I hope no one is too OOC, I didn't try to! Ah well, anyways, if you got any suggestions, or maybe want to suggest something you would like to see in future chapters, just PM me or review! Thanks for reading! -Kendell  
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	3. Apology

**Hey guys, here's another update! Clap everyone! ….clap! …..CLAP NOW!**

**I got 4 reviews already! Thank you thank you THANK YOU! I loved reading them, it gave me some extra encouragement to update, so here it is!**

**Now, on with the story!**

**-sigh- I don't own Sonic and related characters. I don't even own me, my Mom and Dad does. T_T Talk about depressing…**

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"For the last time Sonic you cannot order chilidogs as a pizza topping!" Tails repeated, rolling his eyes.

"What? Tails, don't break my heart, just believe!"

"Sorry Sonic, but it's not possible." For an eight year old fox, Tails was pretty bright.

Sonic, well, let's just say he's not the smartest of hedgehogs.

Blaze sat at the table with them. It was around supper time, and they all thought it would be good to order a pizza. Writing a list, they tried to figure out the toppings.

"I would like pepperoni, cheese and red peppers on the pizza." Blaze said, leaning forward on the table.

Tails nodded as he wrote the toppings down. "Same, but I want some sausage on it too. Do you mind Blaze?"

"Not at all." Blaze replied. She looked over at Sonic, who was now frowning after hearing the disappointing news.

"I want chilidogs!"

"If you want them that bad, you can order some chilidogs for yourself and Tails and I can split the pizza." Blaze smiled warmly at Sonic as she finished talking.

Sonic suddenly perked up. "Blaze you're the greatest! I got to order them now!"

Sonic zoomed over to the phone and jabbed the numbers in. As it started to ring, Tails said, "Why don't we just go to the Pizza shop, order, and have it delivered? That way, Sonic and I can go pick up the chilidogs."

Sonic slammed the phone back into its holder, almost breaking it. "Let's juice Tails!"

Tails stood up and headed out with Sonic. "Cya Blaze. Remember to get the door when the pizza guy comes!"

"Okay!" Blaze called back as they left. She then headed into the living room and turned on the TV.

It had been three days since Shadow and Blaze met. Rouge still barely talked to Shadow, as she was still angry with him, giving him lots of peace and quiet. Rouge now was barely even at the apartment. Now she was always talking with Amy or bothering Knuckles. Shadow was glad to have the place to himself, but he couldn't help but think back to what Rouge had said before.

'_You can rot in this damn room for all I care! Just remember your going to rot alone!'_

Shadow groaned. He hated when Rouge got to him or anyone in fact. Not only that, but whenever he thought of that cat, and when she apologized, he felt an odd tightening in his stomach. It was driving him nuts. He had felt that before, when Maria died. He felt like it her death was his entire fault. He felt _guilty_.

Shadow slapped his forehead. He tried to ignore it, but he couldn't. That feline made him feel guilty.

And it was eating him alive.

Shadow sighed. He gave up. He knew the only thing that would get rid of it, and it was the one thing he didn't want to do.

Blaze had shut the TV off. She had gotten bored of flipping through the channels and now was reading a book. It was pretty interesting. She was already in chapter 14 when she heard a knocking at the door.

_That must be the pizza man,_ Blaze thought. She put the book back on the table and made her way to the door. When she opened it, she had the urge to slam it shut again.

There standing outside the door, was Shadow the hedgehog.

Now Blaze had quite the temper, but being a Queen, she also knew she had to use her manners, and keep her temper under control.

She had never had such difficulty before as now.

"Hello." Shadow said, shifting uncomfortably. "Can I come in?"

"If you're looking for Sonic and Tails they aren't home."

"Even better, but I came to see you. Can I come in?"

Blaze sighed. At least he wasn't going to attack her, "Yes, you can."

Shadow stepped inside and closed the door. He followed Blaze into the living room where she sat on the couch. Shadow sat beside her, clearing his throat.

"Look, cat…"

"Don't call me that!"

"Look, Blaze, you had the guts to apologize so I guess it's only fair for me to apologize too. I'm…uh…" Shadow felt the word slip back into his throat. He hated apologizing, he loathed it.

Blaze simply just folded her arms and laid back. "You're what?"

Shadow gave her a glare before finally saying, "Blaze I'm so-"

_Knock, knock, knock…_

Aggravated, Shadow stomped his way to the door and swung it open. There stood the pizza guy.

"WHAT?!" Shadow barked.

The pizza guy took a few steps back as his eyes grew wide, "Uh…h-here's your pizza sir…"

Shadow grabbed the pizza out of his hands and slammed the door in his face, causing the windows to rattle.

Blaze immediately ran into the room "Who was that?"

"Pizza guy." He replied, dropping the pizza onto the counter.

Blaze rolled her eyes. "You scared him off didn't you?"

Shadow stared at her. "So? At least you got free pizza."

Blaze shook her head in disbelief. "Who do you think you are?"

Shadow stepped up to her closing up the space between them. "Do you want to start this all over again?"

"I still never got my apology." Blaze stated, staring right back. Shadow was kind of surprised she wasn't scared of him.

"…I'm sorry." Shadow muttered, looking away.

Blaze saw his reaction and smirked. "Don't be embarrassed about apologizing. I forgive you Shadow."

Shadow looked back and gave a twitch of a smile. It still wasn't a smile, but it was better than that emotionless stare of his.

"So, do you want to stay for pizza?" Blaze offered. She felt uncomfortable asking, but she knew that was just from being shy.

"I…I rather eat at my own place, thank you." Shadow said. Blaze felt a twinge of disappointment, but tried to cover it.

"Oh, that's fine. I'll just have a slice myself then." She turned and slipped a slice out of the box.

"A-are you sure…you don't want to eat here?" Blaze asked once more. She didn't know when Tails and Sonic would be back, and she didn't want to eat it alone.

Shadow looked at her and then at the floor before saying, "Fine."

He grabbed two slices before sitting at the table with her. It was a pretty quiet meal, but they didn't mind it. They both didn't mind the peace and quiet of having a simple meal-

"HEY BLAZE! WE'RE BACK!" Sonic shouted as he walked in through the doors. In his hands were 3 chilidogs, steam still coming off them.

Sonic was about to say something else when he noticed that Blaze wasn't alone. Shadow was with her.

Wait…Shadow?

Tails came up along Sonic and spotted them. Blaze and Shadow had both stood up, staring back.

"I hope you don't mind Sonic. Shadow came and apologized for what happened a few days ago, so I invited him in for some pizza." Blaze said.

Sonic laughed "Hey that's perfectly alright! I just didn't know the faker would even come over here."

"Believe me, I don't like seeing you anywhere." Shadow replied, his face as emotionless as ever.

Tails had grabbed a slice of pizza and sat down at the table where Blaze was standing. "You staying any longer Shadow?" Tails asked.

"No, I believed it's best if I headed back now." Shadow muttered, heading towards the door. "Thanks for the pizza Blaze. It was good."

Blaze smiled, "Thank you for staying. Tell Rouge I said hi."

Shadow nodded. He quickly turned and headed out the door, leaving the trio once again.

Sonic had finished eating his chilidogs when he had asked Blaze, "Did he really apologize?"

Blaze nodded. "Yes, I was surprised too."

Tails smiled. "He's not as bad as he seems once you get to know him."

Sonic laughed. "Guess Shadow isn't as tough as he looks."

Blaze just nodded and stared out the window, feeling better now that she knew he didn't hate her.

When he left, he stared at that house, for what seemed like hours. He didn't know why, but he did. Eventually he headed back, but he couldn't help but wish he could have stayed longer.

For what reason…god only knows…

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**That's it for this chapter, another pretty long one. I'm trying to plan ahead for the next chapter, I'm not sure what to write next. If you got any suggestions, just tell me! I would love to hear them!**


	4. Sad Pasts and Happy Presents

**Sorry for the long wait everyone! But here's the fourth chapter! Expect the next chapter soon, as I got an idea and I'm ready to write it :D As for my reviewers, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU so much for the positive feedback! I hope you all enjoy the rest of my story!**

**And for anyone who's wondering, 'Where the heck is Marine?!'...she'll be making cameos here and there - don't worry :)**

**Disclaimer: Sonic and co. live in my freezer, therefore I own all of them...not really...**

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"Wow, so the great and mighty Shadow, the Ultimate Lifeform, actually put his pride aside and…apologized?" Rouge said with mocking shock.

"Sure, whatever."

"If you gave this much effort into all your friendships you wouldn't be so boring all the time," Rouge stated, smirking. Shadow gave a grunt in response before stretching out his legs on the couch.

"Well, I'm glad you made up with Blaze."

"Why?"

"Because I just finished talking to her on the phone before you came in and invited her over to a sleepover. Sonic and Tails are having Knuckles over for a all-night party and you're invited too. Blaze didn't want to be stuck with all you guys around her."

"I'm not going."

"Great, then you can hang out with me and Blaze." A chilling grin revealed Rouge's sharp fangs.

Shadow rolled his eyes. "On second though,t I don't want to be pestered by you."

Rouge was relieved to be able to spend some time alone with Blaze. If Shadow stayed, all he would do is whine, mutter something, smash a random object and stomp around the apartment.

After Shadow left a few minutes later, Blaze arrived, a purple bag slung over her shoulder.

"Hi Rouge."

"Just toss that bag by the coffee table and sit down."

The pair made their way over to the living room as they settled down on the couch by the window. The stars shone bright against the darkness as the moon rose higher in the sky.

"What's it like being a Queen?"

"Huh? Oh, it's not really fun."

"What? With all the riches and jewels you have?" Rouge responded, sitting up.

"I don't really care for jewels myself, except for the Sol Emeralds. Their powerful items, if they fall in the wrong hands they could-"

"Well we all know that! If I was royalty, I would buy all the bangles and bobbles possible!" Rouge giggled as she threw her hands in the air. Blaze rolled her eyes.

"When it comes down to it, jewels are just-"

"Amazing? Gorgeous? More valuable than anything else you can get your hands on?"

Blaze sat there, stunned. The sudden lust for gems in Rouge's eyes were enough to throw off anyone trying to keep a conversation going.

"Why do you love jewels so much Rouge? They _are_ just rocks."

Rouge's jade eyes shining, she softly asked, "Do you really want to know?"

Blaze felt her muzzle grow hot. She had a feeling that Rouge was about to tell her something important. "Yes - you love them so much. What's your reason?"

Rouge's large ears fell flat against her head as she looked down. "I didn't have a good past."

_Sounds familiar_, Blaze thought as she remembered her own.

"It was only my father and mother and I. We were very poor. My mother was so beautiful, and my Dad was so strong. I loved them…a lot…even though it was hard. We were too poor to afford anything. So, my parents became thieves.

I was eight when it happened. It was going to be their last robbery. They were going to steal enough for us to make it through a month or two, and then we planned to move somewhere else, where they could find a cheaper place to live or find a job. They both kissed me and told me that they would be back soon."

Rouge's eyes started to become red and watery. Blaze felt strong empathy for her; she had a feeling of what had happened next.

"They never came back. I stayed up all night, because I knew they would never leave me by myself, so defenseless and alone…after a few days I left for an orphanage, I knew that something had happened, something bad, something had gone wrong. When I was fourteen, I was sick of the foster homes and the adoption centers and the orphanages. I ran away. I decided I had to make my own money. I was going to try to find a job when I past by a jewelry store."

Rouge, trying to hold back tears, smiled at Blaze. "I saw a huge, gorgeous emerald in the window. It was amazing. It was the same color as my Mom's eyes, and sparkled liked them too when she laughed. I broke in and stole it that night. It made so happy. I still have it in my bedroom drawer now, to remind me of my Mom and Dad. I soon realized that hunting jewels would keep me in money, and that's how I got to where I am today." Rouge tilted her head before wiping her eyes. "Well, that's enough sadness for tonight don't you think?"

Blaze slowly nodded. "I never knew…that you went through such a tough time."

"A lot of people don't. Most don't even care of my past; I'm glad you asked Blaze." Rouge's face immediately brightened with a smile. "I finally was able to tell someone."

"I know what you went through. I lost my parents too when I was young. I…I don't really want to talk about it though…"

Rouge just laughed and put her arm around Blaze. "That's alright Blaze. We've had some rough pasts, but let's put them behind us, eh? Right now, let's get to our party!"

_She got over her sadness quickly_, Blaze thought before giving in to Rouge. "Sure. What are we doing first?"

Rouge dragged Blaze through the living room and into her bedroom. The walls were painted a hot pink and the floor had a black, smooth tile. The room had a plush bed and a few chairs and photos around the room. To the left, a huge makeup table stood, the top filled with different kinds of makeup and jewelry. Blaze couldn't help but be amazed.

Rouge sat Blaze in a chair in front of the large mirror at the makeup table. She quickly undid Blaze's ponytail, lefting her hair fall down to her shoulders in lavender waves.

"We're going to give each other makeovers!" Rouge beamed. Blaze eyes went wide in shock as she tried to escape the room. Of course, Rouge slung Blaze back into the chair.

"Oh come on Blaze, it's not going to hurt. It's me remember? I'm going to make you look gorgeous!" Rouge convinced Blaze, winking.

"Well, uh…"

"I'll do you first, and then you can do me, okay?"

Blaze sighed as she turned towards the mirror. With a light-hearted laugh, Rouge picked up a hair curler and went to work. When it was completed, Rouge allowed her to look in the mirror. Blaze gasped as she saw her reflection.

Her hair now was in tight curls, hanging loose from her usual ponytail. She had a deep red applied to her eyelids, matching the lipstick. Her long lashes were left untouched to stand out against her purple fur.

"…Wow," Blaze muttered. She actually looked…_girly_. She wasn't sure if she liked it or not but she couldn't help but smile at Rouge. She certainly knew her way with looks.

"Now, my turn," Rouge said, taking the seat. Blaze wasn't sure what to do first, but busied herself with the palette. Rouge's face had been wiped clean, allowing for Blaze to do her work.

It took nearly an hour, but Blaze finally finished. Turning to the mirror, Rouge looked at her reflection, her eyes growing wide in surprise. Rouge now had a light shade of green eyeshadow on. Her lips were a glossy pink. Her hair, usually flipped out, was straightened, and her hair now had a small side bang. Besides some lip-gloss on her muzzle and her eyeshadow smudged around the corners, it was great for a beginner.

"You're not so bad yourself kid."

Blaze frowned. "Did I do something wrong?"

Rouge sighed. "No Blaze, it turned out great. Now let's do something else. How about a movie?"

"What one?"

"You go and pick. I'll put on some popcorn."

Blaze headed over to her movie collection. They ranged from horror all the way to romance. Blaze didn't want anything too gory, romantic, or just plain boring, so she looked for some action movies. After finally picking one, she slid it into the DVD player, and Rouge entered with the buttery popcorn.

The night had been fun. They both laughed and talked, learning about things they wouldn't have known before, about each others lives and friends, even about what the boys would be doing. They decided to call it a night at 1:30 AM.

Blaze, never have been at a sleepover before, didn't know that everyone usually slept together. "Isn't that odd?" Blaze asked, blushing.

Rouge smirked. "It's normal if it's a sleepover. If you're uncomfortable though, you can sleep in Shadow's room."

Since he wasn't home, Blaze agreed. "Okay, I'll use his room."

When she entered, she noticed how plain his room was. A double bed with a red cover was in the corner. A long table was beside, and across the room was a matching bureau. There were a few pictures on the table. Curious, Blaze looked at one of them.

The picture was faded sepia and seemed very old. There were a few tears around the edges and a stain at the bottom. The picture was of Shadow, standing beside a young girl. An old man stood behind them smiling. He reminded Blaze of Robotnik, only much older.

"Rouge, who's this in the picture?" Blaze asked. Rouge entered the room and took the picture from Blaze, staring at it. She looked at Blaze and handed it back.

"I don't think I should mention it. Shadow would get angry at me if I did," Rouge replied, rolling her eyes. "It's sort of private, if you want to know, you should ask him."

"Oh." Blaze placed the picture back. "Goodnight," Blaze said as she slipped into the bed, pulling the covers over her.

"Goodnight Blaze," Rouge called as she entered her own room. The apartment dark, Blaze tried to fall asleep, but couldn't. Blaze sniffed her pillow. It had an aroma to it. Blaze rolled over onto her back. She couldn't sleep in someone else's bed, especially this one. It had a strong scent to it, much to her annoyance.

Closing her eyes, Blaze breathed deeply, thinking about Rouge and her parents, how Shadow apologized to her, and about the mysterious girl in the picture. After a few minutes of silence, Blaze finally drifted into sleep.

**WAIT A SECOND, where's the Shadaze? Well guess what, this was about Rouge and Blaze's friendship and past troubles! Ha, no Shadaze for you suckers!**

**-gets pummeled by bricks-**

**...O-okay, next chapter...more...Sh-shadaze...-knocked out-**

**Read and Review!**


	5. First Snow

**Here's the fifth chapter! There is going to be MAJOR development in the next few chapters, so stay tuned! I really like this story so far, so I'll continue it at a pretty good update rate.**

**As for the length of the story, I'm going to go over 10 chapters, but no more than 25. If it gets bigger, maybe a few more. But I don't want to write a book.**

**Oh, and my goal for this story was to have at least 10 reviews. I have 9 already! Thanks guys! **

**Disclaimer: I am Sonic the Hedgehog, so therefore I own myself. TAKE THAT SUCKERS! -gets shot by Sega-**

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It had been 2:15 AM when Shadow had reached the apartment. He sighed in relief, he was never, _ever_, going to hang out with that blue faker again.

Shadow was just waiting for the first excuse to leave. Smirking, he challenged Sonic, saying that he couldn't eat twenty-five chilidogs at once. Of course, the only person stupid enough to take on a challenge like that was Sonic himself. It was a good and heroic try, but after the twenty-third, it started to come back up. Let's just say, it wasn't a pretty sight.

"Well, I think I saw enough of Sonic's digested food for one night."

Knuckles, which had just finished laughing at Sonic, turned to Shadow. "You're going to leave this late? You might as well stay."

Shadow shook his head. "I better leave. You can take over my spot Knuckles."

Entering the cold darkness, Shadow closed the door and walked back to Rouge's apartment. Taking out the spare key, he unlocked the door and entered. Kicking off his shoes, he sighed. A peaceful silence hovered throughout the rooms, as Shadow made his way to his bedroom. Tired and weary, he went over to his bed and lied down.

_Wait…what's that?_ Shadow thought, rolling over on his other side. Noticing a lump under the sheets, he peered underneath to see Blaze, grunting in her sleep.

_What the fuck? Blaze?! _Shadow, in shock, fell backwards, landing with a thump onto the floor.

Shadow stood up, and stared at her through the darkness. Breathing deeply, she seemed tensed up, as if ready to wake any second. Shadow frowned at her; he wanted to have his bed back.

"Blaze?" Shadow said, poking her. She didn't flinch at all. He tried to wake her up again, before losing his patience and shoving her off the bed onto the floor.

Waking up immediately, she stared up in surprise at Shadow. "Shadow? What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean what am I doing here? This is my bedroom. What are you doing in it?"

"You weren't home so I decided to sleep in here!"

"Who said you could?"

"Rouge!"

Shadow grumbled in response. "Well now I'm home so get out."

Blaze simply stood up and slipped back into the bed.

Shadow ripped the sheets off of her. "What the hell do you think your doing?"

"Going…to…sleep." Blaze replied through gritted teeth.

"Over my dead body." Shadow said, leaning closer to Blaze's face.

"That can be arranged…" Blaze replied, her golden eyes narrowing.

Shadow, feeling the rage build up, swiftly grabbed Blaze by her waist, and flung her over his shoulder. As he walked towards the door, he felt an intense heat. The heat grew more painful until Shadow dropped Blaze and looked in the mirror, his spines on fire. Growling in anger, he quickly patted the flames out. Shadow turned to see Blaze, flames growing at a intense speed as her fists shook with anger. Cracking his knuckles, Shadow leapt at her, shoving her into his bureau, then onto the floor. Blaze quickly kicked his stomach, flinging him back. As they both stood up, Shadow quickly put his hand over Blaze's mouth.

"Outside…now."

Removing his hand from her mouth, he quickly replaced his hand on her arm in a tight grip. Blaze ripped her arm away, hissing in anger. "I can walk by myself, thank you."

The chilly, late November air greeted them as they headed out. They walked through the parking lot, and out into a field behind the building.

For a few long, tense minutes, they just stared at each other. Blaze searched his eyes, looking for any emotion, anything at all. His ruby eyes were dead; only bring a harsh chill to her spine. Blaze wanted to look away, but she didn't.

Blaze's golden eyes bore into Shadow, something he wasn't used too. Anyone else would just normally stare at him, showing some emotion, nothing that would faze him or make him look away…but Blaze…her eyes were intense, showing so much anger, yet looking still at the same time. It shocked Shadow. She was different, and that made him nervous.

"Can we just…go back inside?" Blaze asked her voice flat. Shadow, in a daze, quickly shook his head and rethought what she had said.

Quickly looking away, Shadow crossed his arms, "And get into another fight? No."

"Then what are we doing out here? Having a staring contest or a fight? That's what you wanted right?"

Shadow looked back at her. She stood there, her hands on her hips. Smirking, Shadow responded, "Yes. Unlike the others, you make it interesting."

Blaze didn't smirk back. She just stared at him. "Forget it. I don't want to be your entertainment."

Shadow stepped closer. "Fine then cat."

Shadow walked ahead of her, as small snowflakes started to form. When he didn't hear Blaze following him, he turned and looked back to see Blaze standing in the same spot, holding her hands out and staring at the sky.

Walking back to where he was before, he stood in front of her staring at her. "Aren't you coming feline?"

She didn't respond. Her eyes were transfixed on the sky, the soft flakes falling on her face. "Shadow?" She started. "What is this stuff?"

Shadow's eyes widened. "You mean snow?"

She slowly looked at him. "This is the first time I ever saw something like this before."

Shadow had to admit, he was amazed. Blaze was standing in the cold wet grass in her bare feet, her pajamas soaked, and still sweating from what had happened inside. Yet it didn't bother her. She was amazed at something so simple and common to notice anything else. Shadow shook his head, sighing.

"You know, no two snowflakes are the same."

Blaze smiled at him and giggled. "Really Shadow?"

Shadow kept his blank expression. "Yes. They are all unique."

Shadow, shifting from foot to foot, finally headed towards the apartment building, leaving Blaze in silence. After only taking a few steps, a snowball suddenly hit him in the back of his head.

Clenching his fists, he quickly turned to see Blaze standing with another snowball in her hands.

"This stuff is very good for getting people's attention. I was about to be ditched by the Ultimate Lifeform." Blaze spoke, smirking. "Like I'm going to let that happen."

An evil smile formed on Shadow's muzzle. "Do you really want to challenge me feline?"

His response was another snowball to his face. "For the last time, my name is Blaze!"

In a split second, he had a snowball formed and thrown, hitting Blaze in the arm.

For the next half hour, Blaze and Shadow pelted each other with snowballs, taunting each other and dodging each other's aims. Blaze had ran up behind Shadow, arms filled with snow, ready to thrash him with the cold substance, when he suddenly turned, causing her to skid and fall on top of him. Laughing, Shadow shoved her off of him.

"Nice aim there Blaze."

"If it wasn't for you being in the way…"

"Don't make up excuses. I'm more powerful than you!"

"You? Hmph, Ultimate Lifeform my ass." Blaze looked over to Shadow, smirking.

Shadow ignored her comment, smirking back. He was about to comment on her aim when he was interrupted.

"Having a nice party for two out there are you?"

They both turned to see Rouge standing at the corner of the building, a red, silk robe on over her night-dress.

"Did we wake you up Rouge?" Blaze asked, feeling a bit foolish. Shadow grunted at Rouge, knowing that she probably enjoyed the whole situation.

"I think you woke the whole building up with all the noise you two were making!" Rouge said, her voice chiming with laughter. "Seeing you two fool around like little kids makes up for it though."

Blaze's face became red with embarrassment. Shadow glared at Rouge, wishing she would shut her mouth already.

Rouge then turned serious. "You guys do know that it's almost 3:00 AM in the morning right? And that you're soaked to the bone?"

Blaze looked down at her clothes and feet. For the first time since Shadow and her came out she realized how numb her feet and legs were. "We better head inside. We need our rest."

Rouge and Shadow nodded in agreement. The three headed into the apartment, the heat surrounding them immediately.

Rouge looked at Blaze curiously. "That would be your first time ever seeing snow wouldn't it?"

Blaze nodded. "It is. I hate the cold, but the snow, it's so beautiful, so peaceful. I will definitely have to learn more about it."

Rouge raised an eyebrow. Besides Tails, Blaze was the only person she knew who had extreme intelligence, and enjoyed learning.

The three cuddled up on the couch in blankets, sipping on their hot drinks (Tea for Rouge and Blaze, coffee for Shadow) as the heat returned to them. Once they finished, Rouge shut off the lamp, and the three finally fell asleep, as the soft snow continued to fall on the ground outside.

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**So there you go! I liked writing this chapter, it was pretty fun! :P**

**Oh and if you review dear reader, please give me tips or suggestions for the next chapter! I would love to try and use your ideas!**

**-Kendell  
**


	6. Needing to Let Go

**Chapter 6 everyone! Prepare for a loooong chapter!**

**Oh, and as a special bonus, MARINE MAKES AN APPEARANCE! Okay, so a very minor one, but I thought that it would be nice to have her appear here and there. There will also be suggest Tails/Marine for you Tairine fans!**

**This was my favorite chapter to write up to date! I absolutely LOVE this chapter. It gets very interesting people, so get reading! Don't forget to review!**

**Oh and Disclaimer: Did you know that Sonic is actually a unicorn?! Okay, well, if he was, I would probably own him. But now he's a hedgehog, so I don't own him...sadly...**

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It was a week later since that night. Blaze slowly closed the latch on her suitcase, all her items packed.

She knew it was about time to go back to her own dimension. The snow was getting thicker and heavier, and if she didn't leave soon she would have to stay until spring. Surprisingly, she wished she was staying that long.

This visit meant a lot to her. She had become closer to the others, and made new friends. Many of them were unexpected, especially Shadow. Throughout the week they would have talks with each other, things they wouldn't tell anyone else. Shadow was still pretty cold, harsh with his words, but Blaze didn't mind it. He didn't ignore her, much to everyone's surprise.

Sadly, she looked at her magenta box containing the Sol Emeralds. They meant the world to her. If anything was to happen to them, she didn't know what she would do. Yet she sometimes hates the jewels. If it wasn't for them, she wouldn't be so lonely, so isolated. She knew this wasn't the safest place for them, and that her kingdom needed her. She decided it would be best to leave.

Opening the box, she took out her favorite, the purple emerald, and held it to her chest. It was so smooth and cool against her fur. As she thought of her friends, she felt her bottom lip tremble.

"_My dear Princess, a Queen stays strong, no matter what. A Queen must never cry."_

Opening her eyes, she inhaled. _Father was right. A strong Queen never cries._ She put the emerald in with the others and snapped the box shut.

As she turned, Sonic and Tails stood, both with sad eyes and frowns. "I guess it's time to say goodbye huh?"

Blaze nodded, feeling weak. "Y-yes. I suppose so."

Sonic and Tails quickly wrapped her in a hug before she could protest. Wrapping her arms around them, she struggled with her feelings, her stomach tightening as they pulled apart.

Tails walked over to the machine, flipping a switch. The machine roared to life, the lights blinking and beeping.

Blaze stepped towards the machine as she felt a hand grab hers. Spinning around, she saw Sonic.

"Do you have to go?"

Blaze looked to the floor, and then back at Sonic. "Yes Sonic."

Sonic's ears flattened against his head. "That bites."

Blaze laughed. "I know…I know."

Before she could turn her head in reaction, the machine suddenly began to shake violently. The three quickly ran for cover as parts started flying across the workshop.

"What's happening?!" Blaze yelled, covering her head with her hands.

"I don't know! It must be a malfunction!" Tails replied, straining to hear her.

After a few seconds, the machine finally became silent. They stood up, their eyes wide in shock.

"I think there's a slight delay in your travel plans Blaze." Sonic said meekly. Blaze just stared ahead. She didn't know whether to jump for joy or punch Tails in anger.

"This is going to take forever to fix!" Tails whined, looking at the damage. Blaze's jaw dropped in horror. "But…my kingdom…"

"Hear, use this phone. It uses chaos energy to communicate with other dimensions." Sonic said, pointing to the table.

Hurrying over, Blaze quickly dialed the number and waited for Gardon to answer. When he did, Blaze told him what had happened. She had no other way to explain it. She was trapped.

"Are you alright your highness? Did you get hurt?!" Gardon asked with a shaky voice.

"Don't call me highness Gardon! I'm fine, it's the machine that's fried! Listen, you have to look over the kingdom for me. I'll keep the Sol emeralds here in my protection. You have to keep the kingdom safe."

"B-but Blaze, I-"

"No buts. I order you to. By the way, where's Marine?"

Gardon sighed. "She's right here your highness…I mean Blaze."

"Good. Please put her on the phone."

It didn't take long for the raccoon to hurry and pick up the phone. "Oy Blaze! Where are you?!"

"I'm in Sonic's dimension. It's going to be awhile until I'll be back."

"You're in that bloke's dimension! Blimey! Why didn't you take me over with ya?"

Blaze rolled her eyes. "It was a last minute decision. I just wanted to check up with you."

"Well, since you're gone, I will keep a good eye here! Strewth, I promise!"

"I trust you Marine." Blaze replied, smiling.

"Well where's that two-tailed fellow? I've been reckoning to talk with 'im."

Blaze smirked as she called over Tails. "Phone for you."

Confused, Tails picked up the phone. "Uh, hello?"

"Tails! Long time so see bloke!"

Tails knew who it was as soon as she spoke. "Oh hi Marine."

Sonic smiled as Tails continued to chat with Marine. "Guess you're stuck with us now huh?"

Blaze shrugged. "Yes, but what about the Sol emeralds?"

Sonic winked. "We'll figure something out. You worry to much Blaze, loosen up!"

Blaze rolled her eyes. Good old Sonic…

Rouge slipped her boots on as she rushed past Shadow. "I'll be back in awhile Shadow."

Shadow looked back at her. "Where are you going?"

"I think I'll try to nab that Master Emerald today. I'm feeling lucky."

Shadow grunted. "You're obsessed."

Rouge stomped her foot. "I'm not obsessed with the Master Emerald."

Shadow smirked. "Not that, with Knuckles."

Rouge blushed as she quickly walked out. "Well, I never!"

With the apartment empty, Shadow laid back. He felt pretty bored. He didn't feel like thinking. When he did, he usually thought about his past, something he was trying to put behind him. Shadow sighed.

The snow came down softly to the ground as the chilly wind blew. It was early December, a time Shadow loathed. He never looked forward to Christmas, with all the cheer and racket. He'd rather relax in peace.

Deciding to leave, Shadow headed out the door, grabbing his red scarf and wrapping it around his neck. The wind greeted him as he slipped out of the apartment. He didn't know where he was going, but he felt better already. Anything was better than staying in that apartment.

He walked through the woods, the smell of fresh pine surrounding his black figure. Once he got through the trees, he reached a very familiar spot. A once grassy hill, overlooking the city, now covered in a blanket of snow.

"_I'm Queen Blaze the Cat, guardian of the Sol Emeralds, you?"_

_Shadow eyes widened, he hadn't expected her to actually answer. "Shadow, the Ultimate Lifeform."_

He smirked. Nothing went right when they first met. He remembered how angry and frustrated she made him, something many people wouldn't dare do. He liked her, she was different somehow. She wasn't annoying, a big positive for Shadow.

As he looked at the city below, he saw Blaze walking by, eyes staring at the ground.

"Blaze!"

Hearing her name, she looked up to see Shadow staring at her, motioning for her to come up. Forcing a smile, Blaze hurried up the hill and stood beside him.

"What's wrong?"

Shadow's question had caught Blaze off guard. "Nothing." She muttered.

"Sure, if that's what you want to tell me." Shadow replied, a bit of teasing in his voice.

Blaze narrowed her eyes. "I was going to leave for my dimension today, but the machine broke. I'm stuck here."

Shadow nodded. "You must return to your kingdom I'm guessing."

"Of course! I'm the Queen, my people need me!"

"I have a feeling that's not all that's upsetting you." Shadow's ruby eyes peered into her caramel ones. He could see right through her.

"There are other things I'm thinking about…but…I don't want to talk about it."

Shadow continued to stare at her. Blaze looked to the sky, a sad expression on her face. After a few minutes of eerie silence, Blaze finally said, "I wish I never met any of you!"

Shadow raised an eyebrow at her. "Have you turned on us _your highness_?"

Her eyes flaring, Blaze jerked her head towards Shadow. "You don't know how hard this is for me! How much pain I'm in!"

"I'm listening." Shadow replied in a cool voice, leaning against the oak tree.

Still tense, Blaze tried to relax. "Sonic…he reminds me of someone."

"Who?"

A small smile escaping on her muzzle, Blaze answered, "Silver…the hedgehog."

Shadow, intrigued, scooted closer to Blaze. "Why does that make you so sad?"

"He was my best friend, until, I lost him." Blaze muttered, closing her eyes. "When I was little, I was bullied a lot for being a pyrokinetic. One time, there was a group of them, against me. I was so scared and hurt, I didn't bother defend myself. All of a sudden, a white hedgehog came and defended me. Once they left, he told me that he thought my powers were cool and that he was telekinetic. We promised that we would be best friends…no matter what."

Blaze clenched her hands together as her lip trembled. It pained her not to cry, but she knew that crying would do nothing. If she was to cry, especially in front of Shadow, she would look weak. She _would_ be weak.

Shadow's eyes softened as he listened to Blaze speak. The story, and her pain, was very familiar to him. He had a terrible gut feeling that their friendship didn't have a happy ending.

Staring Shadow straight in the eye, she continued. "It was only a year later since then, when he told me that that his dimension was being destroyed. He was going to return and see if he could the people there. He wanted me to come with him…but I didn't. I couldn't. I had my kingdom and my people and the Sol Emeralds to protect. He said we would see each other again sometime, but…"

Her voice cracked as she swallowed her sadness. "I know I'll never see him again."

Shadow felt great empathy for her. If only she knew that there was a similar friendship 50 years ago that ended in sadness and loneliness.

"Being here, with all of you, reminds me of how happy I was with him. Knowing that I will have to leave you all again, it hurts even more! I'm so torn right now, you can't imagine the pain. I hate having to bottle up all of these feelings so no one will feel sorry for me!"

Her eyes becoming red and glazed, Blaze stood in silence, still shaken.

"I don't expect you to care Shad-"

Cut off, Shadow wrapped his arm around Blaze's shoulders, a firm grip on her.

"It's okay to cry you know."

Blaze's golden eyes widened.

"Times like this you should. It's not a sign of weakness, it's alright."

Thinking over what he said, Blaze stood still in his grip.

"_We'll be best friends forever Blaze!"_

"_Wow, that's so cool!"_

"_Blaze, you're so smart!"_

"_We can protect everyone if we work together!"_

"_I love you Blaze! You're the bestest friend ever!"_

Her eyes stinging with tears, she finally let them flow down her face. Squeezing her eyes shut, she sobbed into Shadow's chest, wrapping her arms tight around him. As she thought about Silver, her thoughts traveled to her parents, Sonic and the others, and being lonely and isolated for so many years. She let everything out. Her salty tears continually streaming down her face, she rubbed her face against his soft, white fur.

Shadow didn't say a word. He let Blaze cry as he stared ahead. The sky had turned dark, but they continued standing there. He knew what it was like, to lose the people you love and having no one to depend on or talk to. To be labeled as different and odd, and to go through so much pain and torture. He was glad to have the friends he did now, like Rouge. He only wished that he had someone to help him through the pain of losing Maria and the Professor.

The minutes continued to pass by, the sky becoming black, contrasting the white snow covering Mobius. Shadow soon noticed how calm and still Blaze was. Looking down, he saw she had fallen asleep. She looked terrible. Her eyes were puffy and irritated from crying so hard. Blaze's muzzle had turned a light pink from being out in the cold so long. Her body limp, she looked like she had gone through her own personal hell. Shadow knew that's what she just released from her system.

Carrying her in his arms, Shadow pulled out his Chaos Emerald. He knew just where to take her.

"Chaos Control!"

In a flash of green light, they disappeared, only to reappear back at Rouge's apartment. If Shadow took her back to Sonic and Tails' house, he would only be questioned about what happened, why he was with her, and why did Blaze look so terrible. Rouge, luckily, wasn't home, so he quickly carried Blaze's numb body into Rouge's room and settled her in the warm bed, pulling the sheets over her.

_She better be damn grateful for this…_

Thinking about the last few hours, Shadow let a smile sneak onto his face.

_Blaze, you're the most stubborn, mysterious, and interesting person I know…_

…_maybe that's why I can tolerate you._

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_**-starts fangirling over own story- SQUEE! I LOOOOVED THIS CHAPTER! Especially the middle to the end!**

**So now we know why Silver's not in the story! We also know about Blaze's past and why she refuses to show weakness!**

**Read and Review! **

**-Kendell  
**


	7. Trouble is Brewing

**Here we are, a new chapter. Thanks for all the positive reviews guys! It means a lot!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic and Co....YET! I'm fighting for it though!**

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_The palace had fallen to ruin. The stones crumbled as the flames grew stronger and bigger. It became out of control. She was surrounded, no way out, except to close her eyes and accept her fate. She couldn't stand the guilt anymore._

_As she felt the pain against her body as the flames burned through her, Blaze kept a steady grip on her chest as she cried. She wanted it to be over already, to finally let go of the pain…the hurt._

"_Everything, it's all my fault…"_

…_**All my fault…**_

"Stop!" Blaze screamed, sitting up, her eyes stinging with tears. Looking around, she breathed quickly, soaking in her surroundings.

_It was just…a nightmare?_

As she looked around the room, she realized she wasn't where she was before. Remembering what had happened before, Blaze blushed. Despite the nightmare, she left lighter, as if a hidden load had been lifted off her back.

Shadow ran into the room. "What is it?!"

"Shadow!" Blaze said in surprise, standing out of the bed.

"Why were you screaming? Trying to wake the dead or something?" Shadow muttered. Blaze frowned.

"I had a nightmare."

"Ah."

"Anyways, why am I here? Isn't this Rouge's apartment?" Blaze asked. She slowly touched under her eyes before jerking her hand away. The skin around her eyes was still tender and red from her crying. She felt slightly foolish for crying so hard.

"If I had taken you back to Sonic's, I would have been questioned about what happened. I was in no mood to explain the situation."

Blaze nodded in agreement. She wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone about it. Looking over at Shadow, she suddenly looked away after meeting his gaze.

_Why did I react like that?_ Blaze thought. Shrugging the thought off, she smiled. "Shadow…I wanted to thank you. It meant a lot to me…what you did."

Shadow stayed emotionless. He simply nodded.

Not knowing what else to say, she looked at the floor.

"Should I leave?"

Shadow stayed silent. "…If you want."

"Okay. Thank you, again." Quickly walking by Shadow, she slipped on her coat and matching boots before opening the door. Hesitantly, she finally left the apartment, closing the door with a click.

Once we heard the door closed, Shadow sighed in relief.

_Why was I so…nervous?_

Shadow looked in the mirror to see him blush. He quickly fought it off, and walked into his room, listening to his MP3.

Slowly nodding his head to the song, he tried to not think. It was hard. Drifting in and out of his thought, his suddenly found himself thinking of Blaze. Eyes widening in surprise, he sat upright on the bed.

_Why's my heart beating so fast?_

Groaning, he let himself fall back down on the sheets. _I freaking hate life._

Looking over to his night table, his eyes fell upon his beloved sepia picture of him, Professor, and Maria.

_Maria, you don't how much I wish you were here. Maybe you could help me figure out what's going on…_

"Amy! Stop!" Sonic yelled, running full speed.

"Sonic, come back! I haven't seen you in two days!"

"Best two days of my life!" Sonic yelled back, a desperate tone in his voice.

"YOU ARE GOING TO REGRET THAT SONIC! GET BACK HERE!" Enraged, Amy pulled out her Piko Piko Hammer, ready to smash her beloved hedgehog.

Blaze, Knuckles, Tails and Rouge just watched the chase. It was pretty amusing, but it got annoying…fast. It had been the next day. The sun shone bright through the frost, taking the harsh chill off the snow.

"So Knuckie, you going to the dance?" Rouge asked with a seductive smirk.

"Er…I…uh…dance…um…uh…"

Blaze and Tails exchanged glances.

"So you are then huh?" Rouge said. Her jade eyes twinkling as she spoke.

"Y-yeah, why?"

"How about we go together? It's not like we have dates."

Knuckles' muzzle turned as red as his dreadlocks. "Wha…wha…whu…what?"

"Oh please Knucklehead? For me?"

Tails tried to contain his laughter as Blaze stared at them, confused at their behavior.

"Is this j-just a trick to get the Ma-master Emerald bat-girl?" Knuckles forced out, stuttering.

"I never fool around when it comes to love dear…" Rouge leaned in closer to Knuckles, making him jump out of his skin.

Blaze groaned. "Just say yes already Knuckles."

"Y-yes Rouge, we can go together."

"Oh good!" Rouge said cheerfully. She finally got an answer out of him. As for Knuckles, well, he fainted.

"Should we get an ambulance?" Blaze asked, worried.

"Don't worry, they always do this." Tails told her reassuringly.

"So Blaze, are you going to the Winter Ball? It's tomorrow you know!"

"I guess so. Sonic will probably make me go anyway."

"Who are you going with?"

"What do you mean Rouge?"

"Well my dear Blaze, you need a date."

Tails spoke up. "That's not necessarily true Rouge."

Rouge just patted the young fox on the shoulder. "Oh Tails, this is a special dance. Don't you want a date for the slow songs? Where you can hold them in your arms and sway to the music in the snow?"

"Uh…not really."

Rouge just eyed him. "If you were older, you would."

Blaze rolled her golden eyes. "Rouge, I think it would be best if I just went myself. I don't like anyone in that sort of way."

Rouge smirked. "Are you sure you aren't just saying that?"

Blaze blushed. "I'm serious!"

"Well fine, if you want to go alone, go alone. The others and I will be there anyway so it's not like you will be a wallflower."

Blaze gritted her teeth. She had hoped to be left alone at the dance. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to go.

As the chase continued, the friends continued to chat before heading their separate ways, ready for a hot meal.

"Hello Shadow. Still being a grump?"

"Thanks Rouge, I feel so much better."

Frowning in worry, she asked, "What's wrong?"

Looking away, Shadow groaned. "Nothing."

"Sure Shadow. Anyways, are you going to the dance?"

Shadow raised an eyebrow. "What do you think?"

"Oh Shadow, drop your old loner routine and come. It's going to be fun."

"I'd rather stay home."

Rouge sighed. "I give up then. I'm going though. Knuckles is my date!"

Shadow jerked his head towards her. "He's what?"

"That's right. I got Knuckles to take me to the dance! I swear I can work miracles!"

Shadow just stared at her. "Did you tie him up or something?"

Rouge glared at the ebony hedgehog. "No, I did not. Now if you will excuse me, I got to go shopping with the girls to find an outfit for the dance."

"Who's 'the girls'?"

Rouge smirked. "None of your damn business _emohog_…"

Shadow watched her leave. _Knuckles is right…she is batty._

Rouge walked down the road. Since it was snowing heavily, she didn't bother to fly. It would take a beating on her wings to fly in such weather.

Feeling devious, she had a sudden urge to make Shadow go to the dance. The problem was she didn't know how.

Having a sudden idea, she ran full speed to Sonic's house. Entering the house, she quickly made her presence known.

"BLAZE! IT'S ME ROUGE! GET OVER HERE!"

Blaze walked into the kitchen where Rouge stood. Annoying, her flats stayed flat to her head. "I'm fine, how are you?"

"Haven't I got big news for you!" Rouge gushed, making it up as she went.

"What is it? Is something wrong?"

"No, no! It's good news!" Rouge smirked, hoping she could convince her.

"Blaze, Shadow is going to ask you to the Winter Ball!"

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**CLIFFHANGER! HA! Read and Review!**

**P.S. Who else loves calling Shadow Emohog? It's just so funny! XD  
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	8. Unraveling

**Here's the next chapter boys and girls! This chapter and the next was supposed to be just one chapter, but it turned out to be 11/12 pages long! O_O So I split the chapter in half, consider this 'part 1'. **

**Disclaimer: I went to court with Sega and lost, so I still don't own Sonic and Co....-sigh-**

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"He's…he's going to what?!"

"You heard me Blaze. Shadow is going to ask you to the dance tonight!"

Blaze couldn't control it. Her face turned a light pink and her eyes grew wide. Her heart raced uncontrollably. _Please tell me this isn't happening…_

"But I…he…"

Rouge laughed. She was even more like Knuckles than Rouge thought. "Well, Blaze, looks like you're in a tight spot."

"H-how do you know this?" Blaze asked, trying to distract herself. She had a sudden urge to just run away, but struggled to stay.

Rouge didn't expect Blaze to ask that. "Shadow wanted some…uh…advice, so he told me. Blaze, you should accept his offer when he asks, it would a nice thing to do."

"Wait a minute! You don't control what I do and don't do!" Blaze yelled, her muzzle still a fair pink.

Rouge simply raised her hands in defense. "Cool it Blaze, I just thought I'd give you my opinion. I'll meet up with you later to see if you want to go shopping with Amy and me okay?"

"Rouge…"

"See you later!"

Rouge turned on her high heels, taking off into the sky. _This is going to be too easy! _All she had to do now was find Shadow and tell him that Blaze was going to ask _him_ to the dance, and guilt trip him into asking her. Then they would both go the dance. Smirking, she decided to check the apartment first.

Blaze stood in the snow, holding her hands together. Thinking about what Rouge said, her thoughts drifted to Shadow. _Could he really think of me like that…me of people?_ A warm feeling ran through her as she smiled. _I wonder what I should do…_

**Somewhere near Shadow and Rouge's apartment building:**

Shadow stomped through the snow banks, his eyes filled with anger.

It had been only a few minutes ago that Sonic and Knuckles stopped by the apartment, much to Shadow's annoyance. They had talked over random things, until Sonic brought up…

"…the dance! It's going to be awesome. I can't wait!" Sonic cheered, babbling on as he usually did. Shadow raised his eyebrow.

"And I care why?" Shadow mumbled, paying barely any attention. Sonic just laughed.

"Well aren't you going?"

"I'm not going."

Sonic smirked deviously as his green eyes stared at the ebony hedgehog. "You're just not going because you don't have a date!"

Shadow glared at him. "That's not why."

Sonic nudged Knuckles as they grinned at him. "Looks like Shadow got rejected eh Knuckles?"

Knuckles laughed. "That seems about right."

Shadow, furious at the two, slammed his fist onto the table. "Get the hell out of my apartment…NOW!"

"Let's take up faker's offer and leave!" Sonic quickly said, grabbing Knuckles' arm as they dashed out the door.

Before they got out of earshot, Shadow heard Sonic say, "I am so going to use this against him!"

Gritting his teeth together, Shadow had grabbed his scarf, swung it around his shoulders, and left the apartment. Now walking through the drifts of white snow, he knew what he had to do. He was going to get Sonic off his back one way or another…

**Back with Blaze:**

Blaze walked around aimlessly outside. Her heart pounding, she wasn't sure whether to accept Shadow's offer or not.

_Why must Shadow be so…confusing? I hate him sometimes, yet…there's something that I admire about him. He's respectful, reasonable, and powerful. He's also comforting, like that time on that hill. Oh Guardians of Sol, I'm so confused…_

Before she could sort any of her thoughts out, she felt a strong grip on her arm. Whirling around, she turned to see the very person of her thoughts.

"Oh, Shadow, it's you…" Blaze managed to say. Her muzzle turned pink as Shadow stared at her, a serious expression showing through his usual emotionless stare.

"Will you be my date to the dance?" Shadow asked smoothly. Blaze's eyes grew wide in surprise.

"Huh? M-me? Why?" Blaze asked, trying to figure out what was going on. Shadow looked away before answering her.

"If I don't go to the dance without a date, faker won't stop insulting me. I like having my peace without hearing Sonic's voice ringing in my ears shouting pointless insults. Rouge is going with Knuckles and Amy going with Sonic. Besides…hanging out with you won't be so bad."

Blaze pulled away from his grip, so he wouldn't see her blush. Looking down, her eyes stared at the flakes of snow landing on the ground.

"…Yes, Shadow…I'll be your date."

Shadow nearly jumped in shock. He was expecting to get a flat out rejection, especially from Blaze. "You…actually want to go…with me?"

"Sure…Why not?" Blaze said cheerfully.

Shadow just stared at Blaze, his jaw hanging. Blaze just continued smiled.

"So you will be my date?"

"On one condition…"

Shadow smirked. He should've known that Blaze was more calculating than she seemed.

"What is it then?"

"I'll be your date if…you escort me properly as a gentleman. I'm royalty, so I expect you to treat me as such at the Winter Ball." Blaze eyed him deviously.

Shadow shrugged. "I agree to your conditions. Then it's settled, Sonic is going to have to swallow his own words…"

Blaze rolled her eyes. "Oh get over yourself."

Shadow frowned. "Dare to say that again feline?"

"Well, if you are going to act like that, I guess I won't be your date after all."

Shadow gritted his teeth as his ears flatten in frustration. "I take back what I said _Blaze_. Please forgive me."

Blaze smiled and linked arms with him. "That's better! Now let's go and find the others."

Shadow gave her a small smile. Blaze stared at him, before saying, "You know Shadow, you rarely ever smile…but when you do, it's pretty nice."

Shadow turned his gaze towards the lavender cat. "Huh?"

Blaze rolled her eyes as she laughed. "You should do it more often."

Shadow looked away frowning, fighting a blush from forming. "….thanks…"

**Later on that night… 6:14 PM…At the Mobius Mall…**

Blaze knew it would be best if she avoided Rouge and Amy. If they got a hold of the fact that Blaze and Shadow were going to be each other's dates to the Winter Ball, she would surely be ridiculed for it. Even though Rouge knew that Shadow was going to ask her that night, she didn't know whether Blaze had accepted or declined his offer. Blaze sighed. It would be better if no one knew until the dance itself.

Since it would be her first dance here, she decided to go and do what Rouge and Amy had probably spent the day doing, shopping and preparing for the dance.

Walking aimlessly through the Mall's corridors, she decided to wear a dress, something she dreaded. _Oh come on, Blaze. It's only one night. A dress won't hurt for a few hours._ Blaze thought. The only thing was that she felt so uncomfortable in them. Shaking her embarrassment off, she walked into a store called _**The Fashionable Fancy**_. The store's windows were decorated in lacy dresses and glittering jewelry. Blaze squinted at them in annoyance.

_No wonder I hate shopping…_

Looking through the racks of dresses and skirts, Blaze tried to keep herself from lighting up in flames and burning the whole store. There wouldn't be anything better than burning down the whole store, just to get rid of all the sparkles and glitter everywhere.

Picking a few dresses, Blaze ran and entered a dressing room. Three dresses, one choice.

The first dress Blaze tried on was a short, flouncy, pink dress. Blaze was shocked that she didn't see a group of pink ponies run by when she saw herself in the mirror. The dress screamed 'Amy' not 'Blaze'. Quickly, ripping the dress off, she slipped into the next one.

The second dress was a dark red that went to the floor. It was a soft silk with a few beads around the right side. The straps were thin and showed off her shoulders. Blaze looked at her reflection. It was a beautiful dress, but it just seemed to be for someone more glamorous. Not only that, but it sort of just hanged on Blaze. Blaze frowned sadly. She didn't have any sort of figure to her. Slipping the red silk dress off of her, Blaze tried on the final dress and smiled.

The third dress was a dark purple. It had small spaghetti straps that criss-crossed in the back. The fabric was soft and simple, no glitter or shine to it, but hanged flowingly to Blaze's knees.

Blaze nodded. This dress was the one.

Putting the other dresses back on the rack, Blaze held onto the purple dress. Now all she needed was accessories and a pair of shoes.

Looking at the shelves of jewelry, Blaze tried to spot something simple. After searching for around ten minutes, she found a small set of ruby earrings that matched perfectly with the ruby jewel Blaze kept on her forehead. Picking up the small box the earrings were in, she headed to the counter where the oh-so cheerful worker stood behind.

"Hi, is this all you're buying?" The pink and cream bear asked with a smile. Blaze gave a small nod.

Once Blaze paid for her outfit, she said goodbye to the bear and headed to her last stop, the shoe store.

Blaze didn't even bother look at the name of the store. All she wanted to do was get a pair of shoes and head back to the house. Entering the small store, she headed over to the women's aisle of shoes and quickly looked the shoes over.

Blaze knew what she wanted. Something that matched the purple of her dress, had no heel, and was comfortable to wear. Immediately, she spotted a pair of glossy dark, lavender ballet flats. After trying them on to see how they fit, she picked them up and bought them.

_Finally, I'm done._ Thinking of the Winter Ball, she felt her stomach twist in anxiousness. _I wonder how it's going to turn out._

**Rouge's apartment…7:58 PM…**

Rouge walked around her room in nervousness. All day, she wasn't able to find Shadow at all. At least she had fun with Amy, despite how annoying she could be. Rouge grimaced. If Blaze confronted Shadow about what Rouge had said, she would be dead. Hopefully, if Shadow came back, he wouldn't have met up with Blaze.

Rouge sat at her makeup table, staring into her reflection. The plan just had to work. She wanted to see Shadow have a good time. If he went, it could help him out of his little world of loneliness.

Her large ears flinched at the sound of the door opening and footsteps. Quickly walking to the door, she spotted Shadow wiping the snow off his fur as he kicked off his boots.

"You could be a bit neater you know." Rouge stated, leaning against the wall.

Shadow looked in her direction without answering. Instead, he quickly headed into his room and shut the door.

"Uh oh…" Rouge mumbled, her ears flattening. She had a feeling that her little plan had crumbled.

Shadow locked the door as he tossed the white bag onto his bed. Opening his bureau, he opened the white bag and stared at the black tuxedo inside, complete with a dark red tie and cuffs. Quickly stuffing it into the bureau, he closed it shut just as Rouge knocked on his door.

"Come in." Shadow said, sitting on his bed.

"Is something wrong?" Rouge asked, biting her glossed lip. Shadow shook his head.

A rush of relief went through her. "Good, cause I was wondering if you were still going to the dance because I was talking to B-"

"I'm going to the dance Rouge."

Rouge eyes widened. "You…are?"

"Yes, I decided that it would be boring to sit here with nothing to do. At least at the dance I can talk with you and the others."

Rouge smiled. "Well that's good because I was talking…"

Shadow frowned. "Listen Rouge, can we talk in the morning, I want to relax and get to sleep early."

"But I-"

"Goodnight Rouge." Shadow said as he shoved Rouge out and his room and closed the door, locking it once again.

Rouge stared at the door in anger. Sighing in frustration, Rouge headed into her bedroom. _I just hope that Blaze doesn't think too much about what I said before. Maybe she forgot about the whole thing._

Shadow slipped under the sheets. Even though it was plenty early, he felt exhausted. Looking at the ceiling, he felt his eyelids slowly close over. _I wonder what Blaze thought when I asked her to the Winter Ball. I just hope that this turns out well. At least I'll get back at that faker and that echidna. _

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_**Read and Review!**


	9. The Winter Ball

**You can consider this chapter 'part 2' of the last one. This is SEVEN PAGES LONG! Prepare for a good, long reading viewers!**

**This was also awesome to write. So far, this is my favorite/second favorite chapter to have write so far. Hope you all like it and review!**

**Disclaimer: I might be kung fu fighting, and Sonic might be as fast as lightening, but I still don't own Sonic and Co. T_T Oh boo...**

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**The following night - the dance: 10:00 PM…**

Rouge slowly twirled in circles as Knuckles held her waist. The only thing keeping him from turning red was, well, the fact his fur was red.

It was his first time ever slow dancing, even _dancing_ for that matter. It also didn't help that he was dancing with Rouge the bat, a gorgeous and devious 'femme fatale' that loved to tease the poor echidna.

For the ball, Rouge was sporting a strapless black gown that reached the floor. The material around her chest was a popping pink that matched her elbow length gloves.

Knuckles was wearing a white shirt with the first few buttons undone and a navy matching jacket and pants. It suited him pretty well. The outfit was formal but laidback - perfect for him.

Though she was having fun, Rouge was also worried. It had been an hour since the dance started and there was no sign of Shadow…or Blaze for that matter.

Sonic was wearing a blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of black dress pants. He was dancing with Amy, who wore a short, bright pink dress with a big red bow in the back. Her classic headband had been switched from red to sparkly pink.

Sonic had been looking everywhere for Blaze, but now realized Shadow was missing, too.

_Where the heck are they? Is Blaze okay? Did Shadow really wanted to stay home?_

**Meanwhile, on the hill overlooking Mobius Central Square…**

"So that's what happened to Maria…" Blaze said.

Blaze and Shadow sat by each other on a low-hanging tree branch. They were on the same hill they met at, and decided to talk for awhile before meeting up with the others. Blaze had listened closely as Shadow, hesitantly, told her about his life fifty years ago. He told her about Maria and how he was created, and trying to regain his lost memories again. There were times where Blaze winced at his story, and there were other times where they both laughed. It was the first time she felt so comfortable…_so safe_…with Shadow.

"I tried putting the past behind me, to forget, but…"

"I know how you feel Shadow, but you can't forget about people so special to you, especially Maria and Professor Robotnik. They are a part of you!"

Shadow looked into her golden eyes. "I guess you're right…but…"

Blaze leaned closer to him. "It's painful isn't it?"

"You have quite the knowledge on this."

"I've been through it. It was hard. It still is."

For a few minutes, they just stared at each other, their breath coming out in white, frosted puffs. The peace and quiet surrounded them. The only noises that they could hear were the wind blowing through the pine trees and their breathing.

"We should head to the dance. It's been an hour."

Shadow sighed. "Do we have to? They will bug us the whole night."

"Of course we have to! They could be worried!"

Shadow grunted. Standing up, he swooped up Blaze in his arms and jumped down in the snow below.

"Hold on tight," Shadow warned, smirking.

"Don't get cocky."

Zooming off at full speed, they made it to the dance in a matter of seconds. As they stood outside the doors, they fixed their clothing before linking arms and walking in.

The others had taken a break from dancing. A techno mix blared through the speakers as the coloured lights glowed through the darkness. Amy, who had gone for punch, saw Blaze and Shadow walking in, and dropped her glass in shock. Grinning, she ran over to the others.

"Guys! You'll never guess who I just saw together!"

Before they could ask, they heard someone clear their throat behind them. Everyone's eyes were as wide as saucers as they saw Blaze and Shadow standing arm in arm before them.

"'Don't have a date,' huh?'" Shadow teased Sonic with a sly grin. Sonic's jaw drop.

Rouge stared at them. They were going to go together all along? She mentally slapped herself - she spent all that time worrying for nothing.

As the pair joined the group, the others bombarded their brains with questions. Thinking it was best not to ask, it was quiet for awhile, before another slow song began to play.

Rouge grabbed Knuckles' arm. "Come on Knuckie, let's go for another round."

Knuckles didn't bother resisting as Rouge dragged him to the dance floor. Amy, tired from the dancing for the last hour, told Sonic that she was going to talk to some of the other girls. As Amy walked away, Shadow thought of asking Blaze to dance, but kept swallowing it back down. Finally finding the courage to ask, he was about to ask Blaze just as Sonic cut in front of him.

"May I have this dance?" he asked, offering his hand.

Blaze nodded. "Sure, Sonic."

As they turned towards the dance floor, Sonic flashed a smug smile at Shadow before wrapping his arms around Blaze.

Shadow leaned against the wall, fighting the urge to permanently kill off the blue hedgehog. His fists clenched in anger, he tried not to watch, but couldn't take his eyes off of them.

His stomach in knots, Shadow felt weak to this new pain. It ate him from the inside out, as if it was teasing and mocking him. Shadow growled, his eyes glowing with anger.

_Why the hell is that faker dancing with my date?_ Shadow thought, grabbing a punch glass out of a random stranger's hand and smashing it.

As Blaze and Sonic danced throughout the song, it seemed as if the seconds dragged on and on for Shadow. His eyes full of hatred, he could barely control it any longer.

Finally, he realized why he was feeling so strange, so awful.

_No, it can't be…it is…oh no…_

Shadow the Hedgehog…was jealous. He was envious of Sonic, but why wouldn't he be? His date was dancing with his hated rival. Shadow's silent rage grew. He wanted to go and rip Blaze right out of Sonic's arms. It _was_ his date, why should Sonic get to dance with her?

Then, it happened.

As the song began to reach it's climax, Sonic pulled Blaze closer, so that his two hands were on her upper waist and her hands were on his neck.

_Don't freak out…resist the urge to kill him…_

The real trigger was as the song came to a final end and another began to play, Sonic flashed him a victorious grin, as if to say, _'See? Who would want to spend their time with you?_'

_That's it…this is over!_

Shadow stomped his way across the room until he reached Blaze and Sonic. Clenching Sonic's shoulder, he pulled Sonic a good distance away from Blaze.

Wrapping his arm in a protective grip around Blaze, Shadow muttered, "_She's mine…_"

Walking into the center of the dance floor, Shadow finally released Blaze. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"You know, if you wanted a dance, you could have just asked."

Shadow put his hands on her waist. "…I'm not going to ask. I'm dancing with you one way or another."

Blushing, Blaze looked up into his eyes, mesmerized. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around his neck, as they danced slowly in circles, not speaking a word.

Sonic just smirked. It was just too easy to annoy Shadow. Satisfied, he looked around for Amy. Once finding her, he asked her to dance, to which the eager pink hedgehog hugged him squealing.

The song that was playing was 'Close to you'. Halfway through the song, Blaze let her head fall against Shadow's chest, making him gasp. His eyes half-lidded, he rested his chin on her head, as the song continued, the soft beat playing throughout the room.

Even after the song ending, Blaze and Shadow still continued to slowly dance until the next song played. As the classical music played, Shadow twirled Blaze around the room, never loosening his grip. As Blaze swirled to the music, she always found herself back into his arms, grinning at him.

A few songs later, Shadow asked if Blaze would come outside with him to get some air. Blaze nodded in agreement. The ballroom was getting more crowded with couples and groups now that the slow songs started playing. As they headed out, Shadow walked past Sonic, an evil look in his jade eyes.

As Shadow walked by, Sonic whispered close to his ear, "_Don't get her pregnant now Shadow…"_

Shadow's nostrils flaring, he whirled around and punched Sonic dead in the face, making him fly back in the floor. Amy screamed in panic, causing many to crowd around. Sonic tried to stand back up, but his efforts were greeted by Shadow, who continued to wail on him, throwing one punch after another. Once Sonic stopped defending himself, Shadow picked him up by the collar, a harsh and dead tone to voice as he spoke.

"If you ever talk about Blaze like that again, I will fucking kill you and hand over your remains to Eggman, if there is any left after I'm finished with you…"

Slamming Sonic back onto the ground, Shadow walked out with Blaze in tow. Too speechless to speak, Blaze let him drag her outside.

Amy, nearly crying, ran over to see if her dear Sonic was okay. Knuckles wasn't sure whether to laugh or be worried. As for Rouge, she rubbed her muzzle, wondering what had set Shadow off. The other dancers gathered around, checking to see if our blue hero was alright. Of course, Sonic sat up, using his hand to hold his bloody nose.

"W-why did you do that to Sonic?" Blaze asked, ripping her arm from Shadow's grip as the brisk wind greeted them. Shadow simply grabbed her arm again with his hand.

"What he said…was unforgivable. He pushed it too far! He got what he deserved!"

"What did Sonic say that would make you so furious? Tell me now!"

Shadow, blushing, simply muttered. "When we walked by, he told me not to get you pregnant. Happy now?"

Blaze's eyes flashed. At first, they showed shock, then hurt, which slowly formed into fiery contempt. "How could he say that?!"

"Exactly Blaze. I felt like killing him right then and there."

Unaware of it, Blaze's body had burst into flames, and the flames grew larger by the second.

"Blaze, save that for later. Getting worked up now without a hedgehog to roast is pointless."

Realizing she was using her fire, she quickly put them out. "Oh, Guardians of Sol, what now?" she whined, rubbing her forehead as she stared at the ground below. Everyone was fine up to a minute ago. Now there was a bloody blue hedgehog, a pissed off hedgehog and cat, a laughing echidna, a thoughtful bat, and a crying pink hedgehog.

Shadow stared at her comfortingly. "We don't have to go back in there."

"Good," Blaze said, not bothering to look up. "I don't want to."

Taking a step back, Shadow bowed, offering his hand. "May I have this dance?"

Blaze weakly smiled as she took his hand. "Must you ask 'Ultimate Lifeform?'"

Wrapping each other close, they started to step in rhythm. Shadow glared ahead. Blaze, now, was frowning, her eyes filled with hurt. Shadow slowly smirked, realizing a good idea to cheer her up.

Blaze leaned her head against Shadow's chest, zoning out from what was happening. _I can't believe Sonic would say something like that. Why would he say something so hurtful and stupid? I never thought he would stoop so low…_

Blaze's thoughts were interrupted, when she noticed her feet weren't touching the ground anymore. Tightening her grip on Shadow more, Shadow laughed.

"Shadow! We…we aren't on the…g-ground…anymore…!" Blaze cried, unable to relax with her fear of heights.

Using his hover shoes, Shadow moved the two of them slowly, twirling in small circles as if they were dancing on air.

"Just trust me Blaze," Shadow told her. "I won't let you go…"

"I know Shadow…I know…"

They stayed like that for awhile, floating in the air as the small white crystals fell on their fur. Soon though, Shadow set them back down onto the stone ground, letting them dance freely.

For the next twenty minutes, they stood in the cold, twirling and swaying to imaginary music, forgetting about the others and the dance itself. Blaze beamed at Shadow. _Everything's okay now, _Blaze thought, as they danced. "Shadow…"

Shadow's ruby eyes stared down at her. "Hmm?"

Before he could react, Blaze wrapped him in a tight hug, spreading the warmth of the flames within her into his clothes and fur. In surprise, he stumbled back a bit, before bringing himself to pat her on the back.

"…Thank you, for asking me to be your date."

"Thank you for accepting," Shadow replied, awkwardly removing his hand and placing it back at his side.

A loud bell chimed. 11:00 PM. The dance was over. The last place Blaze wanted to go was Sonic's house, but she had no choice. As she took a few steps to leave, she heard Shadow say: "Stay with me."

Whipping her head around, she asked, "What?"

Shadow stayed emotionless. "If you feel uncomfortable going back there, stay with Rouge and I."

"You…you would really do that?"

Shadow simply nodded.

"Thank you Shadow! I'll…grab my stuff. I'll meet you there."

"I will send Rouge over to walk you back."

"Okay…"

As they departed, the crowd poured outside. Sonic, feeling guilty, looked around for Blaze and Shadow, but they weren't inside.

Rouge was about to head into the air when Shadow grabbed her from in the shadows, pulling her back down.

"Shadow! What was with you back there?!"

"Rouge, Blaze needs to stay with us for a night or two."

"Huh? What's going on?"

Sighing, Shadow explained what Sonic had said and how Blaze didn't want to face him. Of course, Shadow left out the parts where his…jealousy…was concerned. Rouge was dumfounded when Shadow finished speaking.

"That Sonic deserves a good smack…" Rouge stated through her gritted fangs. Shadow nodded.

"I'll head over then. I hope she's okay."

"It's Blaze, Rouge. I think she can handle this."

**Meanwhile at Sonic and Tails' house…**

Tails' had been working on the Dimensional Machine while the others went to the dance. He frowned in displeasure. Many parts that were needed would be hard to find and even then, they would need to be molded to fit. Having only a few supplies on hand, Tails knew the machine wouldn't be ready for a good while.

Hearing a door slam, Tails rushed up from the basement to see Blaze heading upstairs. Tails soon followed.

"How was the dance?"

"It was wonderful, but where Sonic is concerned, it was a nightmare."

Raising an eyebrow, he was about to inquire more when he heard the front door open and shut close again.

A sudden fear came into Blaze's face as she packed quicker. "Tails, can you grab that box for me please?"

Doing as instructed, Tails picked up the magenta box up and handed it over to Blaze.

"Thank you," Blaze said as she slipped the box into her suitcase.

"Wait…Blaze where are you going?"

She hesitantly ignored his question and swung her luggage over her shoulder, running out of the room and down the stairs.

"Blaze! Wait!" Tails called, running after her. As they got to the bottom steps, Sonic stood, a sad frown on his face.

Blaze nearly gasped at how awful Sonic looked. His right eye was swollen and black, and his arms were forming a few bruises, turning purple and black and red. His nose was still bleeding, and there were traces of blood on his glove from holding it.

"Blaze, I'm…where are you going?"

"I'm staying with Rouge for awhile. I don't want to see you now. Please move out the way."

Sonic gave her a pleading look. "Blaze, I'm so sorry. I…I took it too far, and I didn't think before I said it."

"Said what?" Tails asked in confusion, but the small fox went unnoticed.

Blaze's eyes formed tears, but she stubbornly refused to let him fall. "I hate you Sonic the Hedgehog. I hate you so much!"

Sonic took a step back in hurt. "I…I don't blame you."

Blaze felt her hand rise, as if she was about to hit him, but she let her arm fall. She couldn't do it. Even after what Sonic said.

There were a few tense minutes of silence between the three until the bell rang. Blaze rushed to the door to see Rouge in her lounging pajamas.

Giving her a quick hug, she motioned for Blaze to pick up her bags. "Come sweetheart, let's go."

"Wait…Blaze…" Blaze gave him one last look before heading out the door. Rouge called to her, telling her to go ahead and that she would be with her in a minute. She then turned her attention to Sonic.

Taking a step closer to him, she full-fledged punched Sonic with all her strength, knocking him into the counter.

"How dare you talk about a lady like that? I thought you were a gentleman!" Rouge yelled, making Tails hide around the corner in fear. Sonic just stared at the counter top, holding onto his muzzle.

"I may not have a lot of people that care about me, but those who do mean the world to me! I swear on all the jewels in my possession that if you say one more thing like that about Blaze OR Shadow, you won't have to worry about apologizing..."

Turning on her heel, Rouge slammed the door, sending shakes through the house.

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**Oooooooo...Shadow was getting jealous! Pretty intense chapter huh? XD**

**Sorry if I sucked at writing the dancing part, I tried.**

**Reviews and/or suggestions are appreciated! Hope you guys also liked the bit of Sonamy and Knouge I threw in there!**

**-Kendell  
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	10. You will always be my Best Friend

**After having reviews and PMs asking for a quick update, I knew I had to finish Chapter 10 ASAP. Here you go everyone! **

**WHOA, 31 reviews?! WHAT?! I didn't expect this at all. My goal for this story was to have TEN reviews. O_o Thank you everyone, and keep on reviewing!**

**Disclaiming: If you have read this story up to Chapter ten and still never figured out that I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog and Co...you are an idiot. Sorry, but it's true.**

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Blaze, in her pajamas, watched in utter confusion as she watched Shadow and Rouge play cards.

"Ha! I win the pot!" Rouge said, beaming at her luck.

"What the hell Rouge! I won! Look at my hand!" Shadow yelled, slamming the cards onto the table.

"Don't be such a sore loser!"

"I'm the Ultimate Lifeform! I do not lose!"

Rouge simply scoffed his attitude off, making Shadow shove the table over. The table along with the cards and money clattered onto the floor.

Rouge sighed in annoyance. "Stop being a drama queen…"

"What did you say?!"

Blaze shook her head, it was simply too odd how they acted around each other.

Walking from the kitchen area into the living room, Blaze saw Shadow's bedroom door wide open. Curious, Blaze let her feet carry her into the dark room, away from the others.

Self consciously, Blaze looked for the one thing that kept flashing to her mind. Once her golden eyes spotted it, she picked it up carefully and stared at it, letting herself sit on the edge of Shadow's bed.

In her hands was the Sepia picture she saw before. _So the girl is Maria…she has such a pretty name._

Blaze let her hand rub over the picture, focusing on the small details in the picture. She now matched the strange faces to the right names. Blaze smiled, it was hard to believe that these two people made Shadow so happy, and yet so sad and hurt.

_No wonder Doctor Robotnik went insane after Maria's death. Maria was his only family that he was close to. I'm surprised I didn't take my pain out on my kingdom after Silver left…_

"What are you doing?"

Blaze suddenly turned to see Shadow staring at her, his emotionless gaze seeping through her.

Blaze looked at the ebony hedgehog, then back at the picture.

"Maria is a nice name."

Shadow looked at her in slight surprise. "What?"

Blaze scooted over on the bed, making room for Shadow to sit. Taking the hint, Shadow sat beside her.

"Why are you in my room?"

"Why do you care?"

"…"

Shadow did have a reason to care, but he dared not to mention it, at least out loud. He felt like strangling Sonic. For once, Sonic had gotten to him. What Sonic had said made Shadow almost…uncomfortable with being in his room with Blaze…alone…with no lights on.

He watched Blaze as she stared at the picture with intensity. "What are you looking for?"

Blaze didn't look at him. "Nothing…I just like this picture…"

Shadow slowly nodded as Blaze put the picture back on the end table. They sat in silence for a few minutes, before Shadow began to talk.

"Did Sonic say anything else to you?"

"He said he was sorry. I wasn't really paying any attention, I just wanted to leave."

"I understand. You don't have to worry Blaze. You are safe here."

Blaze stood up. "I know Shadow. I trust what you say."

"Good." Shadow replied in his deep voice. He lay down on his bed.

Saying goodnight, Blaze walked out of the room and into Rouge's where Rouge lay in bed, reading her romance novel.

"Are you ready for bed dear?" Rouge asked. "Yes." Blaze replied, slipping her legs under the silk sheets.

Putting her novel onto her end table, Rouge reached over and flicked the light switch, covering the room in comfortable darkness.

Even though they could barely see each other, they turned on their sides so they faced each other.

"Hey Blaze?"

"Yes?"

"Are you a virgin?"

"What?! Don't ask such a thing!"

Rouge smirked. "It was just a question, don't get defensive."

"I think you know the answer very well." Blaze snapped, listening to Rouge's deep breathes.

"You know Blaze, I'm a virgin, even though you might not believe me."

"Why wouldn't I believe you? You are only eighteen."

"I have sort of an image against me you know."

"Don't we all?" Blaze replied, shifting uncomfortably. "Why are we talking about this anyway?"

Rouge let herself fall on her back. "Well, after what Sonic said, I wanted to make sure."

"Well, now you know, alright?" Blaze said, flaying her arms around her.

After a minute of silence, Rouge asked, "Do you have a crush on anyone?"

Blaze let herself collapse onto the bed in annoyance. "Why must you ask such things?"

"Well Blaze, usually, friends tell each other these kinds of things?"

"I don't have a crush on anyone." Blaze told Rouge, certainty in her voice.

Rouge just sighed. "You are one hard egg to crack Blaze."

Blaze didn't reply. Her mind kept drifting to what Sonic said.

"I'll let you go to sleep. You must still have what Sonic said on your mind."

"It's…sort of hard to forget." Blaze told her honestly. Rouge shifted under the sheets.

"I understand. Don't worry. Sonic will make up for what he did somehow. He's like that. You'll see."

**Meanwhile, in Shadow's room…**

Shadow couldn't help but toss and turn in the eerie silence of his room. He could hear Rouge and Blaze's voices faintly. Shadow sighed. It annoyed him that he could hear the mumbling through his wall. It was enough noise to keep him from falling into any heavy sleep.

Grunting, Shadow jerked his body over, trying to get comfortable. _I wish I could shut my mind off…then maybe I would get some sleep._

Taking deep breathes, Shadow's eyelids slowly closed, sending his body into complete darkness.

**The next morning…**

Rouge had a meeting with GUN that day, and left early, leaving Blaze and Shadow alone. Deciding to go outside in the chilly weather, they headed out into a nearby field, away from the cement and traffic that usually surrounded them.

The first thing they did?

Start a fight.

A large snowball slammed into Blaze's thigh, knocking her off balance. As she fell into the snow, Shadow stepped towards her offering his hand to help her up; instead she pulled him down with her. As he tumbled into the snow, Blaze, laughing, ran towards him. Shadow smirked, sticking his leg out before Blaze noticed. Blaze tripped over his leg and fell on top of Shadow, causing them to struggle to be the one on top. Blaze, though, eventually came out on top, pinning Shadow's arms into the white snow. Blaze kept her legs on either side of Shadow's body to prevent him from escaping, and used her hands to pin down his wrists.

"I warned you not to challenge." Blaze panted, out of breath.

Shadow laughed, something he hadn't done in a long time. "I went easy on you, I'm never defeated."

"Neither am I…" Blaze retorted, tightening her grip on his arms.

Shadow, noticing what position they were in, asked, "Are you ever going to let me up?"

"Hmm…I'll think about it." Blaze said, smiling. Shadow fought not to blush.

"So _cat woman_, what are we supposed to do while I'm pinned down?" Shadow taunted her.

Blaze couldn't think of a smart remark, so just replied with, "I don't know, maybe I'll teach you a lesson for provoking me to violence…"

"Violence? We were having a damn snow ball fight Blaze, not committing genocide!"

"I know that."

"Then what's the problem?"

"You have to tell me that I'm better at you at snow ball fights!"

Shadow groaned. This was complete torture.

"No."

"Then this is how we will stay until you say it!" Blaze told him, inching her face closer to his.

Desperate to get out of her grip, Shadow muttered in annoyance, "You are better at snow ball fights than me…happy?"

Pulling her face away from his, Blaze smirked as she rolled off of him. "Finally, you swallowed your pride."

Shadow mentally added, _and my dignity…_

Blaze was surprised at how she didn't mind the cold. The only thing was that the falling snow interfered with her pyrokinesis. Luckily though, her extreme body heat kept the harsh chill of the winter season off of her, letting her stay outside without getting as cold as the others.

Standing up, Shadow rubbed the snow off of his arms. "We should head back, the snow is getting thicker."

"You're right. It looks like there could be a storm." Blaze replied in agreement. Walking side by side, they headed towards the apartment.

**Twenty minutes later…Rouge and Shadow's apartment…**

Sipping on hot chocolate and watching the news, the two sat on the couch in comfort. Just as they predicted, the snow had gotten thicker and harder, leading into a snow storm later on in the day.

Just as Blaze was about to flip the channel to the weather, there was a knock at the door. Shadow stood up first and answered it.

Sonic stood in front of him. He wore a sky blue, puffy jacket and red boots, similar to his usual sneakers. His black eye remained swollen from before, and numerous bruises covered his muzzle and spines. A weak smile on his face, Sonic meekly said, "Hi."

Shadow stepped outside and closed the door. "You got more nerve than I thought faker. After what you said-"

"I'm really sorry Shadow. It got out of hand and I…I was an idiot. You know me right? I think before I say a lot of things…"

"Does it look like I care? It was bad enough you said it to me, but to say something like that to Blaze…"

"Please, Shadow. Let me in! I need to talk to Blaze. I need to apologize!"

Shadow simply crossed his arms. "Forget it. I don't want you hurting Blaze."

"You can't tell what to do and not do! I'm going to talk to Blaze, whether you like it or not!"

Blaze, who had just approached the door, slammed the door open, slamming Shadow into the wall.

"Sonic? W-why are you here?"

"Please Blaze, can we talk? Inside?"

Now Blaze usually wasn't forgiving, or trusting. But once she looked into Sonic's big, emerald eyes and thought of all the things he did for her and her kingdom, she couldn't help but give in.

"Yes, Sonic…you can come in."

The two walked inside, as the very pissed-off Shadow followed in.

"We should talk about this in private." Blaze said, motioning to Rouge's room. Sonic followed her into the glamorous hot pink room as she closed the door, leaving Shadow to sit on the couch and watch the weather.

The two sat on the edge of the silk bed, facing each other. Blaze narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms. "What do you want to say?"

Fiddling with his thumbs, Sonic looked up. "Blaze, I'm so sorry. I know how mean what I said was, and how I took the joke too far."

"You don't know how much that embarrassed me! Or how serious what you said was!"

"I know! I should've thought before I spoke but I didn't. I guess I wanted to tick off Shadow so much I forgot that he had feelings too, and of course, that it would've hurt yours."

"Why, why did you say that?" Blaze asked, putting her head into her hands. Sonic put his hand on her shoulder.

"I guess I said that because of how nice he was to you, and how I knew it would tick him off. Though, I didn't think he would take it this defensive…but he had every right to be so angry at me." Sonic told her.

"There's sort of another reason too..."

"What Sonic?"

Sonic cleared his throat before saying, "Well, er, I was sort of jealous..."

Blushing, Blaze's eyes widened. "Jealous? Why?"

"Well, whenever we were together, I was the only guy that got your attention. Of course, you were friends with Tails, but he was never as close as we were. When you started to hang out with Shadow and stuff...I felt like...we weren't as tight as we used to be...you know what I mean?"

Blaze nodded. "Sonic, you will always be my best friend, you know that."

Sonic nodded. "I know, but still, we never got to hang out much..." His voice trailed off, as he used his hand to rub his swollen eye.

Looking up, Blaze noticed how badly is eye was. "Does it hurt?"

Chuckling, Sonic said, "Not as much as not having you living with Tails and me."

"Sonic…"

Taking both of her hands into his, he clasped them tightly. "Blaze…I'm so, so sorry. Come back…please?"

Showing a warm smile, they hugged each other as Blaze said, "I forgive you Sonic."

"Good, because the house has been awfully cold since you left."

"It's only been a night!" Blaze laughed, jokingly punching Sonic's shoulder.

"Ouch!" Sonic yelped, gripping onto his bandaged arm. Blaze's expression changed to worry. "I'm sorry! Are you alright?"

"What? That? Ha, barely noticed!" Sonic replied, hiding the pain. Blaze rolled her eyes.

"Who did the bandaging?"

"Amy bandaged my arm and torso. She wants to become a nurse when she's older."

"Well at least she got some practice."

"Oh har har har." Sonic said sarcastically, as they left the room and rejoined Shadow. Shadow glared into Sonic's eyes, making him take a step back in caution.

After Blaze gave him a nudge, Sonic said, "Listen Shadow, I'm really sorry. I hope you can forgive me."

Shadow looked at Sonic, then Blaze, and then at the floor before slowly nodding. Sonic sighed in relief.

Turning on her heel, Blaze headed back into Rouge's room, packing some of her loose things and gathered her luggage.

"Thank you Shadow for letting me stay here. Tell Rouge thank you for me too." Blaze told him, just as Sonic and her were about to leave.

"It's alright." Shadow replied in a flat tone. As she turned away, Shadow said, "Oh, and Blaze?"

"Hm?"

"...be careful..."

Nodding, Sonic and Blaze ran out of the apartment, down the steps, and up the road. Sonic grabbed and held onto Blaze's hand to make sure she kept up with him.

As Shadow watched Sonic hold Blaze's hand, his intent ruby eyes picking up their every movement, he felt the green-eyed monster rear its ugly head up again, ready to torture his every thought and feeling…

* * *

**For those of you thinking that Sonic was implying he has a crush on Blaze during their talk and his jealously about Shadow and Blaze's friendship, your wrong. I really, really, REALLY hate love triangles. They are annoying and pointless. Seriously, there will be no Sonaze in this story. I'm not against the pairing (I even support it here and there), but this is a Shadaze story people.**

**Who else loved the parts where Sonic and Blaze chatted and the ending? Those were my favorite parts in this chapter! -squeals-**

**Read and Review. Thank you for reading, and have a nice muffin.**

**-Kendell  
**


	11. The Letter

**Okay, this is the next chapter!**

**Now, I was going to do this chapter COMPLETELY different, then I got into the Christmas party and stuff, and it got too long!**

**The next chapter, will be VERY Shadazey and probably funny too. Expect a lot of Shadaze, Rouge, and Tails in the next chapter!**

**

* * *

  
**

**December 8****th****, two days later…**

The D.T.C.M. (Dimensional Transfer Carrier Machine) was still left in a pile, much to the frustration of Blaze and Tails. After making a list of the materials and parts needed, they realized that many were rare or expensive. Sighing in exasperation, Tails sat in his work chair in disappointment.

"I can't believe it. Nothing has been this hard to fix before!" Tails said.

"I'm sorry to be causing you so much trouble Tails. Maybe I should have left earlier."

"Don't blame yourself Blaze! If only these parts weren't so hard to grab, it would be easy!"

Blaze gave a forced smile towards the fox. Her stomach twisted in knots. She was so worried about her kingdom. If something ever happened, she could only blame herself. Grabbing the Chaos phone, she let it ring until a familiar high-pitched voice picked up.

"'Ello?"

"Hi Marine. It's me, Blaze."

"Oy! You still stuck in that dimension?! Strewth! How is it there?"

"It's…er…interesting. They have lots of snow…"

"Snow? What are ya going on about Blaze?"

"Never mind. How are things?"

"Oh good, good! How's living with the blokes?"

Blaze gritted her teeth. "It's…um…nice."

"Anyways Blaze, it's nice talking to you! It's been a good while!"

"Yes, it has. How's my kingdom?"

"The same as always! That Gardon gots everything ship-shape!"

"That's a relief. I've been worried…"

"Nah Blaze, relax! Have a good ol' time! I'll be speaking to you once again!"

As Blaze started to hang up the phone, Marine's voice rang, "OY BLAZE WAIT!"

"What is it?!"

"Give the phone to Tails, I want to have a word with 'im."

Sighing, Blaze handed the phone to the young fox. "Marine wants to talk to you."

Raising an eyebrow, Tails put the phone to his ear, only to hear Marine's voice chiming about the weather and her new mechanical inventions.

Heading up from the basement, Blaze sat down by Sonic, who was digging around in a box on the couch.

"What are you doing Sonic?"

"I'm looking for the Christmas decorations! I think I lost some of them though…"

Curious, Blaze asked, "What's Christmas?"

"You know Blaze! Jesus' birthday, the nativity, Christmas trees, Santa…?"

Blaze shook her head. All of those things were unfamiliar to her.

Sonic, eyes wide in shock, let the box slip out of his hands and onto the floor. "WHAT?! You don't know what Christmas is?"

"Well, maybe if you'd stop breaking things and tell me, I would know."

Ignoring what she said, Sonic continued to tell her all about the holidays. He told her about the three wise men and the story behind Christmas. He told her about the decorating and buying gifts for everyone. Of course, he also couldn't forget to tell her about…

"…Santa Claus! His name is different in other places, but here we call him Santa. He goes around the world on a sled in the night on Christmas Eve, giving presents to all the good boys and girls. The thing about him though is that he knows if you have been good or bad."

Blaze looked at him, her eyes filled with doubt. "He travels around the world in one night? That sounds sort of…"

"…fake? Well, he isn't real. We tell kids that so that they will behave and have something to believe in."

"Huh? That's lying. Why would you say such things to children?"

"Blaze, it's all in good fun. I still pretend to be Santa Claus for Tails, and he doesn't know the difference."

Furious, she stood up. "Who said he isn't real huh Sonic?"

"Everyone knows that. Come on Blaze, don't get fired up."

Averting her glaze away from Sonic's, she muttered. "Yeah, sure. I'm going to help Tails out."

Walking down the steps into the basement, she saw Tails, groaning in frustration as he hunched over his work table.

"Tails? What are you working on?"

"I can't believe I forgot!" Tails said sadly. "I was so busy with talking to Marine and working on the machine, I forgot to send my letter in to Santa Claus."

Blaze frowned. She felt like saying something, but she knew that would only upset him. Besides, Sonic didn't know everything. Maybe, just maybe, Santa was an actual person.

"So, you are working on your letter for him?"

"Yes! It's really fun! This year, I want a new toy robot, some airplane models, and new iron materials. I have to fix up some of the machines down here; the iron is getting rusty on them."

Feeling slightly foolish, Blaze clapped her hands together as she asked, "Tails? Do you think I could…um…write a letter too?"

Beaming, Tails jumped up and grabbed another chair, sliding it beside his. "Of course! Sonic never writes letters to him with me. He says it's for kids."

Picking up a pencil, Blaze tried to think of how to start. She never thought writing a letter would be so challenging. "Tails…how do we start?"

"Well, I always say at the top, 'Dear Santa Claus…'"

"Oh, okay." Her golden eyes twinkling, Blaze wrote the words down. For the next hour, her and Tails wrote their letters, every so often stopping so Blaze would understand what to ask for or how to say something. Blaze smiled. Writing a letter to something so magical…a person so imaginary and real at the same time…touched her heart gently. After her fourth try at the letter, she finished, signing her name at the bottom, just like Tails had said to do.

Looking over her final letter, Blaze read to Tails:

**Dear Santa, **

**My name is Blaze, and this is my first time writing to you. My friend Tails is helping me though, so I hope this letter is to your liking.**

**For Christmas this year, if it is not too much trouble, I would like a new comb for my hair, new clothes in purple or red, and some surprises. If you don't mind, I would also like some new material for my old stuffed cat 'Mina'. If possible, I would like the material to be ruby red, to match the old material.**

**Thank you for reading my letter. I hope there are no storms on Christmas Eve, and I hope there will be many good girls and boys for you to give gifts to.**

**Sincerely,**

**Blaze the Cat.**

Tails flashed Blaze a cheerful smile as she finished reading her letter. "Blaze, that was great! I know Santa will love it. He will surely send you a letter back!"

Blaze felt a rush of excitement run through her. "You…you really think so?"

"Yes Blaze! Come on, we have to put them in envelopes and mail them. Santa usually replies in a week or two."

Running up the stairs, the two rushed to put on their winter boots and jackets before going outside. The sun shone brightly on them as they went up the street to find a mail box.

"Since we don't have one at home, we use the public mail boxes." Tails explained, as they walked through the frigid air. "When we get any mail, it gets delivered to the post office, and they call us so we can pick it up!"

Nodding, Blaze finally spotted one. "Look Tails, we can mail our letters there."

"Great…oh wait! I forgot! I wanted to pick up some snacks. Can you mail mine too and I'll meet you at home?"

"Uh…Sure." Blaze answered, grabbing Tails' letter. The two-tailed fox waved as he headed farther up towards the store.

Grinning to herself, Blaze made her way over towards the mailbox, dropping Tails' letter inside. As she looked at her own letter, she felt proud. It was such a…unique feeling. Maybe this was what Christmas was all about.

Before she could think about it anymore, she heard a deep voice behind her. "What's that?"

Turning around, she came face to face with Shadow. Shadow had his usual red scarf on, dangling over his chest. His eyes seemed transfixed on the white envelope in her hands.

"Oh…this? It's…it's nothing." Blaze stuttered, feeling embarrassed. If he saw who the letter was addressed to, he would definitely make fun of her…or just ignore her for the rest of her stay here. Besides, he was eighteen. Blaze didn't want him treating her like a naïve child.

Smirking, Shadow made a grab for the letter. Blaze swiftly dodged it. "It's nothing, you wouldn't be interesting."

"Oh for god's sake, just let me see the letter." Shadow had to admit it, he was curious to see who she was sending letters to.

"No!" Blaze yelled, making a few people passing by turn their heads in her direction.

_What's the deal with her being so defensive? _Shadow thought. Blaze tightened her grip on the envelope, as if it was part of her.

After a few attempts, Shadow finally got a tight grip on the letter, while Blaze tried to pull it away from him. Gone unnoticed to the two, a slight tear began forming through the paper.

"Shadow! Stop!" Blaze yelled at him, tugging on the end of the letter. Shadow, even more determined, gave a rough tug on it.

_Rrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiippppppppppppp…._

The letter shredded down the middle, making Blaze land on the cold sidewalk. Staring at her ripped letter, she suddenly felt sad.

_My…letter…_

Shadow stared at the half he had in his hand. It read:

**-Anta Claus**

**-th Pole**

**Ho**

"-Anta Claus…were…were you writing a letter to Santa?" Shadow asked, finding it hard to believe someone like Blaze would do something so…childish.

Her shoulders shaking, Blaze stared at the ripped paper. As her eyes became glossy and red, she felt anger boil up within her.

_I…was so excited…and I worked so hard on this…why…why would he rip it? Why?_

Standing up, she pulled her hand back and slapped Shadow across his face, leaving a small, red burn mark on his muzzle. Rubbing it with his hand, he looked at Blaze in surprise.

"You ripped it! You don't know how much that letter meant to me! I don't care whether it was childish, or if it's only for kids, but it made me happy! I was so excited to mail it, after I worked so hard on it, and you _ruined _it!"

Taking a step back, Shadow was shocked to see such a violent outburst. Throwing her half of the letter on the ground, she ran away, the tears welled up in her eyes.

Shadow closed his eyes, growling at himself. _Why did I do something so stupid? All I did was provoke her anger…she probably hates me._

Turning around to head home, he nearly collided with Tails carrying a small bag of food, an angry frown on his face.

"Oh, it's you." Shadow murmured, walking around him.

Tails narrowed his eyes. "Why did you do that Shadow? Blaze was so happy!"

Stopping in his tracks, Shadow slowly turned towards the eight year old. "What?"

"Blaze never wrote a letter to Santa before. She didn't even know what Christmas is! She was probably so excited to be involved in it that it became important to her."

Shadow looked at the ground. "I guess so. I don't know what to do now…"

His eyebrows furrowed together, Tails simply yelled at the ebony hedgehog, "Well, what did you expect?! Her to rub it off and walk away?!"

"Listen, I wasn't talking about that, I don't know what to do now that she's angry at me. If I leave it like this, then Rouge will turn on, Amy will probably give me a lecture, and Sonic will rub it in my face! I have to apologize somehow to get her happy!"

Tails seemed to calm down once Shadow stopped talking. "I might have an idea, but you probably won't do it…"

Crossing his arms, Shadow lowered his face towards the young fox. "Continue."

**Three days later…**

"I still can't get over that party!"

Sonic zoomed into the living room as he talked to Blaze. Blaze, however, wasn't in the mood for one of Sonic's ramblings.

"Did you see how Knuckles totally flipped out when he got caught under the mistletoe with Rouge?! Ha! The look on their faces! Even Vanilla had a good laugh!"

Truthfully, Blaze didn't remember seeing that. Most of her time at the party, she had talked with Amy and Cream.

Team Chaotix, Vanilla and Cream had pitched in to go on a vacation together for the winter season. Hearing that Blaze was visiting, Cream had pleaded for her Mom to take them back so they could see her. Deciding to go back for a few days to have a Christmas party with the others, the group had returned, the party going off without a hitch! Everyone had shown up…

…except for Shadow.

As far as she understood, Rouge had said that he was too busy with something to come. Even when Rouge yelled at him, Shadow just ignored her and left.

Blaze couldn't help but grin at her thoughts about the party. She was so happy to visit Cream again she had forgotten all about Shadow. With her charming smile and happy outlook, Cream was a sight for sore eyes. Not to mention, Amy also kept Blaze Company, chatting about random things, though in all their conversations, Amy managed to bring Sonic up every time.

Blaze also made a new friend…Espio.

Espio had brought her a few good laughs in the two hours they were together, but also humiliation.

It had been an hour into the party. Cream was getting sleepy, and rested in her mother's lap as everyone sat in Sonic's living room, either on the floor or in a chair, talking about everything going on.

Blaze had taken a seat between Espio and Sonic. Turning his head towards Blaze, Espio had tried to start a conversation.

"So, you specialize in pyrokinesis?"

"Huh? Oh, yes."

"That's very powerful." Espio admitted. "Have you trained the ability well?"

Blaze gave a little thought before answering. "I started training my pyrokinesis when I was seven. As of now, I have great control over the fire. Though sometimes, because of my emotions or actions, it can get easily unstable."

Espio nodded, spreading his arms over the back of the couch as he leaned back. "I started learning ninjutsu at that same age."

Interested, Blaze asked, "That requires a lot of skill. You must have become very strong-willed from that kind of training."

"I like to think so." Espio replied in his calm voice.

Sonic then turned his attention to Blaze. "Hey, do you mind getting glasses for everyone?"

Nodding, Blaze entered the kitchen, filling her arms with the fragile items.

Noticing how much she was actually carrying, she turned to put them back onto the counter, but accidently tripped over her feet.

Espio, walking into the kitchen to use the phone, suddenly looked to see Blaze falling backwards, the glasses in her arms flinging into the air.

Taking immediate action, Espio pulled out his shurikens, aiming them at the glasses remaining in the air as the others clattered and shattered on the floor, managing to do this in milliseconds.

As Blaze was about to fall onto the floor in the broken glass, Espio dived, caught her in midair, and covered her back with his arms as they slammed onto the floor, away from the pieces of glass.

Standing on his hands and knees over Blaze, Espio asked, "Are you alright?"

Holding onto the back of her head, Blaze replied, "I'm…fine. I bumped my head hard though."

"Then next time, don't fall."

Hearing the glass shatter, the others piled into the kitchen, first spying the glass all over the floor and then spotting Espio hovering over Blaze on the ground.

Their first reactions?

Laugh as hard as they could.

Blushing, Espio scrambled off of Blaze and stood up, soon followed by Blaze. Both staring at the others and each other blushing, they kept silent.

A look from Rouge silenced the hyenas. "What happened?"

Covering his face with his hand, Espio muttered, "I…got to go." Turning, he left the house.

Blaze cleared her throat as she quickly muttered, "I…trippedandfellandthenEspiocameandkeptmefromfallingonthebrokenglassandthenyouguyswalkedinIgottagoinmyroom."

Running up the stairs and into her room, she closed the door. Her heart racing, Blaze spied out the window until she found Espio walking up the street.

Mustering up her courage, Blaze opened up the window and yelled, "Espio!"

Hearing his name, Espio looked around until he spotted Blaze through the window.

"Thank you! Merry Christmas!"

Smiling, Espio gave a small wave before continuing walking down the road.

Sitting on her bed, Blaze could still hear the boys laughing. Her stomach twisting in knots, Blaze laid down on her bed, her muzzle red.

"…Blaze! Snap out of it!"

Her eyes suddenly opened and turned to Sonic, an annoyed frown on his face.

"You zoned out there for a minute! Did you hear anything I said?"

"Er…sorry Sonic…"

Sonic rolled his jade eyes. "ANYWAYS, I was asking if you wanted to decorate the house soon. It's getting closer to Christmas everyday."

"Anytime you want Sonic. I'm just a guest in your house."

"Just a guest? You're like family now Blaze! Loosen up a bit!"

Ignoring his comment, Blaze went back to thinking.

_I should try to write a letter to Santa Claus again…and maybe I should see Shadow…maybe I was too hard on him back then._

**Meanwhile…**

Shadow walked through the frigid streets, his cold, ruby eyes darting from one place to another.

_All I need is just one thing now…something nice…something…warm I guess._

Finally, after hours of searching, he found what he was looking for.

_Nothing I'd want, but it just might work…_

_

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_**What could Shadow be plotting?! EVIL DOING?! XD**

**Oh, and yeah, okay, I REALLY wanted to do the scene with Blaze and Espio. Why? Because Espio is a cool character, and I wanted him to have a appearance in the story. I guess you can say this chapter has SLIGHT Espaze (My favorite crack pairing EVA! XD If you don't consider Shadaze crack). It will not involve into romance, or a crush. Same for Sonaze.**

**Next chapter will be up very quick!**

**-Kendell  
**


	12. Teddy Bears and Realizations

**For those of you who love mushy moments and funny things, well, here you go.**

**Over 40 reviews?! _ YOU PEOPLE ROCK!**

**I forgot to do a funny disclaimer last chapter! :O That sucks!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic and co. but I do own a Halloween costume! HA! ...I just don't know what it is yet...**

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Even though it was around six o'clock, Sonic, Blaze, and Tails had headed out in the snow, cutting down a tree, and dragging it back to the house.

The evergreen stood tall and green. The multi-colored lights gave life and light to the tree, making the three smile. The different decorations, like the tinsel and ornaments, hung from the firm branches, reflecting the light across the room.

_What a beautiful sight…_Blaze thought.

"Now, for the grand finale!" Sonic cheered, pulling up a chair to stand on. In his hand was a golden and glittery star, shining brightly.

Excited, Tails shot his hand up, "Can I put the star on top this year? Please Sonic!"

"How about all us do it? We can use teamwork!"

_Sonic's enthusiasm still annoys me…_

Blaze and Sonic heaving Tails up, the young fox stretched out his arm and topped the tree with the star.

Letting Tails onto the ground again, the three stood back and looked at their hard work.

"It's awesome guys!" Sonic said, Tails and Blaze nodding in agreement.

"It was a lot of work though." Blaze said. "Are we still going to decorate the whole house today?"

Sonic shook his head. "I'm too lazy. Besides, Rouge is coming over. We can get the others to come and help tomorrow or something."

"Rouge is going to help me make sugar cookies!" Tails told Blaze with a grin. Blaze raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure you don't mean Amy? I can't picture Rouge in an apron making cookies."

"Nope, Tails is right. Besides, I had some of Rouge's cooking before. It was amazing!"

Still in doubt, Blaze shrugged. "I can't see Rouge as the motherly type."

Sonic sat down on a couch laughing. "Yeah, but as they say, don't judge a cover by its picture!"

"That's, 'don't judge a book by its cover' Sonic."

"Same thing." Sonic replied, cutting the conversation short. Blaze sighed in irritation. She was about to say something when the door bell rang.

Tails opened the door to see Rouge standing outside. Dressed in a tight, black, turtleneck sweater, matched by dark-pressed jeans and pink, furry boots, Rouge remained as beautiful as ever.

"Hey there sweetie…Ready for some baking?"

"Yes, Rouge! Come in!"

Taking her boots off, Rouge was greeted by Sonic and Blaze. She gave them a flirtatious smirk.

"Why hello there you two. You guys look pretty cheerful."

Whispering to Sonic, Blaze asked, "Why would she come over around 6:00 PM to make cookies?"

"She had to work at her nightclub, so this was the earliest she could come." Sonic whispered back.

_Rouge: Nightclub owner, secret agent, treasure hunter…All at eighteen. She can do it all…_

"Anyways, Tails get out the ingredients. I'll heat up the oven."

Leaving them to work, and Sonic to offer to help, Blaze stepped out and into the living room.

_I wonder if I should apologize to Shadow…I feel bad for slapping him._

Before she could turn to see what it was, a sudden green flash appeared behind her. Spinning around, Blaze looked to find nothing…or no one there.

_Maybe it was a light on the tree…_

Looking at the tree, she spied a lone gift under the tree.

_Huh? That wasn't there before._

As she picked the gift-wrapped box up, she felt a letter attached to it. Opening the envelope, she pulled out a letter. It read:

**Dear Blaze,**

**I don't know why…**

**I'm sorry for ripping your letter. It was stupid of me. ****I guess I…**** I don't know why I did it. I understand why you were upset at me. I would've been furious too if someone came up and try to take something away from me.**

**This is really… **** Writing this letter is really hard for me. I don't why. I guess it's because I feel guilty. I hope this makes it up to you.**

**The gift is for you. I thought you would like it. Tails said I should buy you something to cheer you up. The kid's pretty smart.**

**Blaze you better…****Don't tell anyone about this. I don't want them harassing me.**

**From…****Sincerely, Shadow.**

Putting the letter beside her, she ripped the wrapping paper off of her gift to reveal a small box. Her heart pounding in her ears, she carefully opened up the lid of the box, and reached her hands inside.

What she touched was soft and warm. Pulling it out into the light, the item was revealed to Blaze's mysterious, gold eyes.

_A…a teddy bear?_

A stuffed, black teddy bear smiled back at Blaze. Its reddish-brown eyes shined as Blaze felt its soft, red Santa jacket and hat. The bear was topped off with black, leather boots and a matching leather belt with a big golden buckle.

A smile crept onto Blaze's face, as she snuggled the bear into the crook of her neck.

_It smells like peppermint…how Christmas-ey…_

Grabbing the box and wrapping paper, she hurried to her room and threw them into the garbage. She placed the Santa bear, ever so gently, onto her bed, the bear leaning against her pillow.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Sonic screaming, "Ow!"

Dashing down the stairs and into the kitchen, she watched in confusion as Rouge slapped Sonic repeatedly with a cooking glove.

"You stole some of the cookie dough Sonic!" Rouge yelled as she delivered another blow to the blue hedgehog.

"Calm down! It's not like I was committing a crime!" Sonic said. "Now stop hitting me!"

Rouge did as he said, well, not before giving him one more smack, making Blaze and Tails laugh. Sonic rolled his eyes. "OH hardy har har!"

Tails watched the cookies bake as Rouge strutted over to Blaze. "Well, how's everything in the land of fire?"

"Uh…good." _More like amazing if I was being truthful..._ "How did making the cookies go?"

"Great. Tails was fantastic for his first try. Though SOMEONE kept sticking their FINGER into the COOKIE DOUGH!"

"Oh, get over it. What's with you?" Sonic said, before smugly adding, "Is it your _time of the month_?"

Slamming her fist onto his head, Sonic yelped in pain as he held his head with his hands.

"How insensitive! Talking about a girl's body like that! And just so you know, it's NOT my time of the month!"

"Well, EXCUUUUSE ME!" Sonic yelled. "I can't imagine you when you're PMSing!"

"That…is…IT!" Leaping into the air, Rouge kicked Sonic in the stomach, driving them away from the kitchen.

Blaze took this as a signal to leave. "Good luck with them Tails." She called, hurrying outside. She had someone she needed to see.

**At Shadow's (More like Rouge's but…oh well!) apartment…**

Satisfied, Shadow sat on the sofa, stretching out his legs.

_I wonder if she's read it by now…_

Hearing the doorbell buzz, Shadow felt a growing, tense, sensation in his arms and legs. Ignoring it, Shadow walked over to the door and opened it to see a smiling Blaze standing before him.

"…Hi…Shadow…"

Shadow didn't expect her to actually come over…at least, not tonight. Clearing his throat, he said, "Hello Blaze."

For a few seconds they stared at each other, until Blaze broke the silence.

"What you did…it meant a lot to me…"

A tinge of red covered Shadow's muzzle, but he simply averted his gaze elsewhere. "Well, I felt like I owed it to you."

"I'm also sorry for hitting you. I was really upset though…and…"

"It's alright." Shadow said, cutting her off. Blaze sent him a death glare.

"When someone attempts to apologize, you let them finish, not cut off their sentence as if what they are saying doesn't matter!"

Shadow smirked as he stepped aside to let her in. "Oh well, you'll leave. It's not a big deal."

"I know one thing that's big…" Blaze said, sliding her boots off as she entered the heated apartment.

"And that's?"

"…Your ego." Blaze crossed her arms with a smirk.

Shadow scoffed at her comment, before smirking back at her. "Oh really? I dare you to mock me again _kitty-cat_."

Annoyed by his new 'nickname' for her, Blaze stared at Shadow. "When I first met you, I thought you were a depressing, emotionless, egomaniac who didn't have an ounce of self-worth in your body."

Shadow leaned closer towards her, his hot breath on her face. "Your point, dare I ask?"

"It turns out you're a cute, lovable, innocent little hedgehog that anyone can irritate with a single comment."

His eyes flying open wide, Shadow slammed his hand against the wall cornering Blaze. "I am NOT cute. I am NOT lovable. I am NOT innocent. I am NOT little."

"You're right. You're just all of the above." Blaze replied, her voice cool and smooth.

Grunting in response, he tried to penetrate her gaze with his own. The only thing was, her stare was as hard and cold as his was.

"I thought you came over here to thank me, not annoy me."

"If I recall, a certain hedgehog had cut me off."

Clenching his hands into fists, he stepped away from her. "Fine, have it your way."

"Actually, I came to give you something too. It's not a Christmas gift though."

"Then what is it?"

His response was Blaze wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him into a small hug.

"What are you doing?" Shadow said, irritated.

"I'm giving you a hug. Why, am I not allowed to touch the great and Ultimate Lifeform?"

"That's usually what applies."

Pulling away, Blaze smiled. "What? Am I an exception?"

His face becoming redder, he mentally cursed himself. _Why do I act like this?_

"No, try it again and you die."

Blaze rolled her eyes. "Anyways, thank you for the teddy bear. It was very sweet of you."

Shadow felt his heard beat faster. _Ugh, I'm getting paranoid!_

"Yeah, well, I just don't want you to slap me again."

Giving him a small smile, Blaze said, "I guess I should head back. Rouge has probably pummeled Sonic by now."

Shadow raised an eyebrow. "How do you figure?"

"It's a long story." Blaze muttered, obviously annoyed by them.

Just before she closed the door, Shadow said, "Blaze?"

When she turned her gaze towards him, she suddenly felt him gently caress her cheek. A strong blush covered her face as she slowly whispered his name.

"Be careful…okay?"

Nodding, Blaze left, closing the door gently behind her.

Shadow stood, staring at the closed door. He was silent, but on the inside, he felt like screaming.

_Why did I do that? Why? Why?! WHY?!_

Grabbing his forehead with his hands, he groaned. _Why does this have to be so fucking difficult?_

It was so strange, he was the Ultimate Lifeform, he shouldn't feel, he didn't feel, period. Then what was so different about her?

"_I'm Queen Blaze the Cat, guardian of the Sol Emeralds, you?"_

"_A-are you sure…you don't want to eat here?"_

"_This stuff is very good for getting people's attention. I was about to be ditched by the Ultimate Lifeform." Blaze spoke, smirking. "Like I'm going to let that happen."_

"_You know Shadow, you rarely ever smile…but when you do, it's pretty nice."_

"…_Thank you, for asking me to be your date."_

"_Finally, you swallowed your pride."_

"_When I first met you, I thought you were a depressing, emotionless, egomaniac who didn't have an ounce of self-worth in your body."_

His heart pounding, Shadow realized why we was acting this.

Why he got jealous when he saw Sonic around her.

Why she was so different from the rest.

**A few hours later…**

Wiping off her make-up, Rouge stared in her reflection as she put some cream onto her hands. After coming home from Sonic's, she had came into her room, preparing for bed. Hearing the door open with a click, she turned to see Shadow enter her room.

"Is something wrong dear?"

"I…need to talk to you about something…"

Still looking in my mirror as she fixed up her hair, she replied, "Yes what is it?"

"Rouge…I…I think I'm in love."

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**WHOO! CLIFFY!**

**But a totally AWESOME cliffy! You guys got a confession! Shadow has finally come to terms with his feelings. Now dear readers, you are faced with these questions:**

**1) How will Rouge react to this astonishing confession?!**

**2) Was it wise of Shadow to tell Rouge this? Will Rouge be a best friend and keep it secret, or use it for juicy gossip and tell the others?**

**3) When will Blaze confess her feelings? The next chapter? The near future? Will she even return them? Is she even a cat?!**

**-Kendell  
**


	13. This New, Unwanted Feeling

**Well, it took one day to get around 15 different opinions! After listening to some music and getting some inspiration, I wrote Chapter 13. **

**As for the ending theme (Humorous or Tragic), I left it undecided, for now. I'm just going to go with the flow, and when it comes time to make a decision, I will. I guess I'll leave it as a surprise.**

**Disclaimer: I didn't create underwear. The idea of underwear is patented to...oh, wait...wrong disclaimer...never mind. XD**

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Rouge stared at Shadow in absolute shock. Shadow eyed her, desperately waiting her reaction. Her sea-green eyes continued to peer at Shadow, as if he was ready to shatter any second.

"Rouge?"

"W-what did you say Shadow?"

Shadow growled. "You know what I said."

Rouge gave Shadow an incredulous look. If the devil had appeared right beside her and asked her to play poker with him, she would be less surprised as she was now.

"Shadow…you're in love?"

A tinge of red covered Shadow's muzzle as he mumbled a yes in reply. Rouge gave him a small smile.

"I have to admit, you always surprise me."

"You always annoy me."

"Naturally." Rouge said with a smirk, flipping her hair back. Shadow rolled his eyes.

"So," Rouge started. "Who's the lucky broad?"

"…Blaze." Shadow answered. He was wondering why he was even telling Rouge this. All she would do was laugh at him. To his surprise though, Rouge looked at him warmly.

"She's a very nice girl. A pretty good catch if I do say so myself."

"Huh?"

"I think she would be a great match for you. You both are shy, anti-social, had bad pasts…"

"You aren't helping Rouge." Shadow interrupted. He was starting to regret telling Rouge about his crush.

Rouge grinned at her reflection. "Well dear, why do you like her? When did you start falling head over heels in love?"

_She's enjoying this…I can tell…_Shadow thought. "I don't know…awhile."

Sighing, Rouge stood up and faced Shadow. "You aren't giving me much to work with Shadow!"

"Well, you are supposed to try and help me!"

"Then let me help you!"

Shadow tossed his head back in exasperation. "Rouge, I hate this feeling!" He yelled, letting himself drop onto her bed. Rouge sat down beside him.

"Shadow, hate to break it to you pal, but you hate feeling anything."

"Yes, usually because when I do, it's either depression or something that makes my stomach tighten."

"You're just nervous. This is your first time feeling this kind of thing. I understand why you are freaking out."

"I'm NOT freaking out!" Shadow hollered at her, before smothering his face into the silk sheets.

Rouge weakly smiled. She rubbed his back as he breathed in and out. She knew how difficult something like this would be for him. Especially Shadow.

Shadow lifted his head up. "Rouge,"

"Yes?"

"…I'm scared."

Concern running through her face, Rouge leaned closer towards him. "Why are you scared Shadow?"

"Everything I love is taken away from me. I don't want to go through that again…not again."

Rouge thought about what he said before saying, "You're just afraid of going through the pain of loss, or rejection, right?"

Shadow remained silent. Seeing as he wasn't going to answer her, she continued. "Shadow, these kinds of feelings come with risks. I know you've been hurt, but have you ever thought that maybe Blaze is just as lonely and scared as you?"

Rolling over, Shadow stared at Rouge. "What do you mean?"

"Blaze told me about her past. She's been through a lot of pain, a lot of sadness. She learned to love again though. She learned that distancing yourself away from others only hurts you more. That's why you see her with Sonic and Tails and everyone else. She loves them…just like she loves you."

Shadow looked at her in disbelief and surprise. "When I came in here for advice, I was looking for something along the lines of how to get her to like me too, not a psychological analyzation."

Rouge scoffed at his comment. "Well, do you want my advice or not?"

"If it helps me, yes!"

"What I was trying to say is that everyone has gone through pain. If we let ourselves become scared of the risks of feeling, then we become cold and hardened. It's better to go after what you love, instead of hiding in a corner. Did that get through your thick skull?"

"Yeah, yeah. You don't have to draw me a picture."

"Then what do you need help with?!"

Shadow looked at the ceiling before turning his gaze to Rouge. "I love her."

Rouge wrapped her arm around him. "I know Shadow, I know."

Shadow clapped his hands together, trying to fix up his thoughts. "What do I do now though? How can she love me back?"

Rouge stood up in determination. "You came to the right person for love advice. With my experience in romance, I can give you fool-proof advice!"

Shadow smirked devilishly. "Yeah right. You're in denial about your feelings half the time."

Rouge gave him a look as she crossed her arms. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

Shadow shrugged. "I don't have the slightest idea of what you're talking about."

Rolling her eyes, Rouge grinned. "Well, to win a girl's heart, you can't talk dirty around her. Girls don't find swearing very attractive. It's a sign of a dirty mouth."

"There's nothing wrong with what I say!" Shadow barked.

"And there's another thing! You can't always be right! You have to accept the fact you can be wrong."

Shadow groaned. He was the Ultimate Lifeform. He couldn't be wrong.

"Girls also like it when guys give them attention. It shows us that they have their eyes on us and us only." Rouge told him in a matter-of-fact tone. Shadow frowned at her.

"If I do all this, Blaze would think I was an idiot."

"No she wouldn't! If you gave her a lot of attention, compliment her, and don't let your ego get in the way during a conversation, she will fall for you just like that."

Shadow stared at her in confusion. _Is she hysterical or what?!_

"Uh…okay…I guess." Shadow said hesitantly. Rouge sighed.

"Listen Shadow, it's late now. How about tomorrow we work on this? I'm pretty tired."

Shadow nodded. "That's a good idea. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Shadow." Rouge replied, closing her bedroom door behind him.

Heading into his room, Shadow laid on his bed, pulling the red sheets over him. Once he was comfortable, he stared at the ceiling.

_I'm in love…Shadow the hedgehog: The Ultimate and Immortal Lifeform…is in love…_

He repeated that sentence over and over in his head, trying to absorb the truth in the sentence.

_This despicable, nerve-wrecking, twisting, annoying, hateful, new and unwanted feeling…how can this be love?_

His ruby eyes widening, and then slowly shining with realization, Shadow smiled his rare smile.

_I sort of like it…_

_

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_**DWAH! LIKE, ZOMG SHADOW'S IN LOVE! WTH?!**

**Yeah, well, people wanted an update, you got an update! Hope it was to your liking!**

**-Kendell  
**


	14. Christmas Cheer!

**Two chapters in one day? I must be spoiling you people! :D Just kidding! As they say in show business, let's get the show on the road!**

**Disclaimer: I...don't...own...Sonic...and...co....GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEADS!**

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It was the next day. The sky was a clear blue, not a cloud in sight. Although the air was freezing, the sunshine was welcomed by everyone.

Blaze, Tails, and Sonic walked side by side down the street, chatting about Christmas and the holidays. Their breath coming out in frigid, white puffs, they continued to walk until they reached the park. After finding a bench nearby, the three sat down.

Tails wore orange mittens and a hat to match. A long, striped scarf dangled from his neck as he clicked his winter boots together. "I love the winter!" He said to no one in particular. Blaze smiled cheerfully.

"I'm starting to like it too." Blaze admitted, rubbing her gloved hands up and down her arms to keep warm. She wore something similar to her purple cloak, but it instead was longer in the front, and had golden trim around the sleeves and edges. Her gold necklace dangled around the puffy collar, every so often fluttering with the strong breeze. Blaze stared down at her boots, made to match her winter cloak, thinking about what they could do to kill the time.

"We should have a snowball war!" Sonic said enthusiastically, punching his fist into the air. Tails and Blaze rolled their eyes.

"I thought they were called snowball fights." Blaze said. Sonic shrugged the matter off.

Sonic wore a puffy, cobalt blue jacket. His gloves were just like his usual ones, only thicker and warmer. Sonic also wore his red and white sneakers, even though it was winter. Blaze was surprised that his feet didn't get cold.

Tails suddenly perked up. "We could go Christmas shopping!" Looking at Blaze and Sonic for approval, he added, "We might as well get our gifts now instead of facing the mob on Christmas Eve."

Sonic nodded in agreement as he lay back against the bench. "Good idea little buddy. I got most of my Christmas shopping done, but I still have to find a gift for Knuckles, Amy, and Blaze." He ended the sentence with a smirk and glanced towards Blaze.

Blaze blushed. "You are getting me a gift?"

Sonic rolled his eyes. "Duh Blaze. Why wouldn't I?"

"Uh…well, never mind." Blaze stuttered.

"Are you getting me a gift?" Sonic asked. Blaze nodded.

"I need to get gifts for you, Tails, Rouge, and Shadow." Blaze still didn't know Amy or Knuckles that well, and only saw them a few times, so she thought she would get them a card each instead.

"Then let's go." Tails cried, darting off towards the mall. Sonic and Blaze ran side by side after the young fox.

Reaching the store entrance, the trio decided to split up, so that all their gifts would be surprises. Tails headed west, Blaze went to the upper level, and Sonic headed straight ahead.

After a half hour of shopping, Blaze managed to pick up two gifts. She got a toy robot for Tails and a movie on DVD for Sonic. Heading down the stairs and towards the center of the mall, Blaze nearly dropped her bags at what she saw.

In the center of the hallway was a winter wonderland. Fake snow covered the ground, and a huge snow globe filled with penguins glowed blue. Fake pine trees sparkled around the decorations, and a huge, velvet red chair stood in the middle of it all. Sitting in the chair was an older, chubby man with twinkling blue eyes and a soft, wavy beard.

"…Santa Claus?" Blaze said gently. Taking a few steps closer, she noticed a line of people standing outside, watching others having their picture taken with Santa.

Before she knew what she was doing, she ran to the back of the line. When it came her turn, Blaze placed her bags down and walked towards St. Nick, her face blushing red.

"Well, who do we have here now?" The man's deep voice boomed. Her heart pounding with excitement, Blaze replied, "I'm Blaze…the cat."

"Nice to meet you Blaze. Come," Santa patted his knee. "Sit on my lap and tell me what you would like for Christmas."

Beaming, Blaze sat down on his knee, the old man wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Now then, have you been good all year?"

Nodding, Blaze answered, "Yes, I think."

"Good, good. That means you deserve a few nice gifts." Leaning closer to her face, he whispered, "What would you like for Christmas?"

"…I would like some new material for my stuffed teddy bear. Maybe some new clothes…and some surprises, if that would be possible."

"My dear…anything's possible." With a sparkle in his eyes, he added, "It's Christmas…"

Enchanted by what he said, Blaze continued to smile at him. An elf nearby handed him a candy cane, which he gave to Blaze.

"Smile at the camera. We need a few photos don't we?"

Turning her gaze towards the camera, Blaze smiled, her golden eyes shining with magic and warmth. After a few flashes, Blaze stood up, waved goodbye, and hurried toward the camera girl.

"Here you are!" The polar bear told Blaze as she handed her the photos. "Have a happy holiday!"

Walking away, Blaze stared down at her pictures. _Santa Claus…he has to be real. No one could make up something as magical and touching as this._

Not focusing on where she was going, she gasped as she collided with another person, making them both fall onto the ground.

"Excuse me…huh? Shadow?" Blaze said in surprise. Shadow stood up and offered his hand. Blaze grabbed his hand and he pulled her back up onto her feet.

"Are you okay?" Shadow asked, flipping his red scarf back over his shoulder. Blaze nodded.

"How have things been?" Blaze asked, as they walked side by side through the crowds. Shadow shrugged.

"I guess I can't complain." Shadow replied. By the way he was acting; it seemed he had his mind on something else.

"Are you alright?" Blaze asked. Shadow nodded. "Why?"

"You seem to be thinking about something. Just wondering."

For some unfathomable reason, Blaze cheered up even more as she talked to Shadow. She had no idea why, maybe because they had a lot in common. They both had complete ease while confiding in each other.

_Shadow would be very handsome…if his eyes weren't so dead…so cold…_

Shadow was well-built, with sleek, black fur and sharp quills. His tan muzzle stood out among many things, including his white, puffy chest fur. The most intimating thing about him was his eyes. They were like solid, dead rubies, cold as ice and twice as sharp.

Noticing Blaze staring at him, Shadow turned his gaze towards her. "What is it?"

Blushing, she immediately looked away. "It's…it's nothing."

Shadow felt his muzzle grow hot, but quickly fought it off. He couldn't help but wonder why Blaze had really stared at him.

Reaching the food court, Shadow offered Blaze to cup of hot chocolate. Agreeing, they ordered their drinks and sat down at a table together.

After taking a slow sip on her hot chocolate, Blaze cleared her throat. "Thank you for the drink."

Shadow nodded, tipping his mug back further and further until the mug was empty, and then slamming it back down onto the table. Blaze stared at him wide-eyed.

"What was that all about?" Blaze asked. Shadow cocked an eyebrow.

"What was what all about?"

"You just ordered your drink and it's already gone. What's the rush?"

Shadow shrugged, remaining silent. Blaze rolled her eyes. She took another mouthful of hot chocolate as they sat in silence, ignoring the constant chatter and noise around them.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Shadow tried to think of something to say. He wished he wasn't acting so weird. Whenever it became silent between them, Shadow's heart beat faster and faster, as if it was trying to burst through his chest.

"You…look pretty." Shadow absentmindedly told Blaze before slamming his hand against his mouth.

Blaze stared at him as if he was an alien as she felt her jaw drop. Did Shadow just compliment her?

Inside his head, Shadow mentally cursed at himself. _You fucking…fucking…fucking...IDIOT!_

Her surprise slowly faded into cheerfulness though. "Y-you really think that?"

Now it was Shadow's turn to let his jaw drop. Blaze stared at Shadow, a warm smile on her face and a tinge of pink covering her face.

"…Yes…"

After finishing her sip of hot chocolate, Blaze said, "That's very sweet of you Shadow."

Leaning back, Shadow couldn't help but crack a grin in relief.

Amidst of all the hustle and noise, the two started talking again. And to Blaze's happiness, Shadow smiled throughout the whole conversation. She even got him to laugh. Blaze beamed when he did. He had a great laugh, if only he let himself act like this more.

Shadow smirked. It was funny how an accidental slip of words made the atmosphere more comfortable for them. He shook the thought off though. Hell, he fell in love, anything was possible.

As Shadow was about to say something, he felt a sudden grip on his shoulder as a cheerful voice yelled in his ear, "Well, look at what we have here!"

His smile immediately faded into a grimace as he slowly turned his head. He came face to face with Sonic, a playful grin on his face.

"Shadow, Shadow, Shadow…you sly devil you…" Sonic said, giving Shadow a slap on the back. "You're more slick with the ladies than I thought!"

"Shut up faker…" Shadow muttered, his ears falling flat against her head. Blaze gave Sonic an annoyed look.

Tails walked up to Blaze. "Did you finish all of your Christmas shopping yet?"

Blaze shook her head. "I still need to get two more gifts. I got a gift for you and Sonic though."

Tails beamed with joy. "That's great. I got one for you too!"

Pulling up a chair, Sonic turned towards Shadow. "So Shads, are you here shopping too?"

"No, I'm here because I decided to kill the janitor." Shadow replied, his words dripping with sarcasm. "Of course I'm here to shop."

Finishing off her drink, Blaze stood up, grabbing her bags. "Well, I must be off. I need to finish off my shopping." Saying her goodbyes, she flashed Shadow a smile before turning and walking down the corridor.

Shadow's eyes followed after her, staring at her until she rounded the corner. Sonic smirked. "You're drooling."

Giving Sonic a death glare, he kicked Sonic from under the table. Sonic yelped in pain.

"Cut it out you two!" Tails said in an annoyed tone. "Blaze has the right idea. I think I will pick up my Christmas cards and head home."

Sonic gave him a thumbs up. "You go ahead; I'm going to hang out around here for awhile."

"If you are going to be around, I'm leaving." Shadow grunted, gripping the handles on his shopping bags as he stood up to leave. Sonic walked beside him though.

"What do you want Sonic?" Shadow asked, wishing Sonic would leave him be. Sonic shrugged.

"Can't a friend walk with his friend?"

"Who the hell said we're friends?"

"Me, myself and I."

"Three variations of the word 'idiot'."

"Touché Shadow."

Shadow rolled his eyes. Sonic laughed. "Oh come on Shadow. Cheer up would you? It's Christmas for god's sake!"

"Please leave me alone." Shadow said through gritted teeth. He was fighting the urge to turn around and smash Sonic in the jaw, which would be quite pleasing.

"Okay, okay. I was just going to say that I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas."

Shadow looked at Sonic in confusion. "Huh?"

"I know, I know. We don't get along and we hate each other, but its Christmas right? It's all about making peace. I just wanted you to know that."

Shadow remained silent. He was still surprised by what Sonic said.

"Well, I'm itching for a run." Swinging his bags over his shoulder, he gave Shadow a salute. "Happy Holidays faker!"

Running full speed, Sonic took off out of the mall. Shadow frowned. _Well, at least he didn't pick a fight…_

Heading out the doors of the mall, Shadow looked up to the sky to see white clouds forming. Small snowflakes danced in the wind as they descended to the ground. Hearing a bell ring, Shadow looked over to see a duck dressed up as Santa. He waved a golden bell in the air as he greeted people walking by with a smile and a nod. Beside him was a bin labeled 'donations for the homeless'. Usually Shadow ignored this, but a sudden feeling made him stop in front of the duck.

Reaching into his pocket, he found a coin and flicked it into the bin. The duck waved to him.

"Thank you sir! Merry Christmas!"

Giving him a nod, Shadow continued walking down the street through the frigid air, listening and feeling the Christmas cheer around him.

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**YAY! EVERYONE'S HAPPY! EVEN SHADOW! IT'S A FREAKING MIRACLE!**

**Read and review! Thanks for reading!  
**

**-Kendell  
**


	15. Reluctant

**Okay, for the hardcore Shadow x Blaze fans, be prepared, for YOUR chapter. This has to be the most 'romantic' chapter in the story yet! Prepare for awesomeness beyond your wildest dreams!**

**...I'm being dramatic, I know. What's wrong with that? :P**

**Disclaimer: I'm Kendell and I approve of this disclaimer disclaiming the rights to Sonic and co.! **

**I do own Sutton Ville though. It was going to be originally named 'Summer Ville' but that is just SO corny, Sutton Ville is much, much better.  
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**Three days later…**

Blaze had just finished wrapping her last gift. Shiny, green wrapping paper and a red ribbon topped the box off with a touch of elegance. All of Blaze's gifts were perfectly wrapped without a single mistake. Even the name tags seemed regal. Sonic was amazed.

"If I didn't know any better, I would have thought you were wrapping gifts for old St. Nick himself."

"I don't think I'm that good Sonic."

"You could have fooled me."

Blaze flashed him a smile as she placed the gift with the others. She was finished with the gifts.

The two went downstairs and into the living room. It had been a busy day. Sonic, Blaze and Tails spent the whole morning decorating the inside of the house. Presents were starting to pile underneath the tree, and everything was coming together. There wasn't much of a theme. Basically every Christmas decoration Sonic had he wanted out, so it was a bit cluttered. Blaze liked it none the less.

Tails was talking on the phone with Marine, so Blaze and Sonic had awhile to talk. Blaze was glad she was alone with Sonic. Having a conversation with Sonic was like having a party without all the guests. Sonic was able to make anyone laugh…well…except Shadow, but he doesn't count.

"So…we're all alone…just the two of us…" Sonic said with a smirk. Blaze rolled her eyes. "Cut it out Sonic."

"What? It's just a joke."

"Yes, a very annoying joke."

Sonic gasped in mock shock. "Blaze, how can you say that?"

"Don't be a drama queen."

"That's it!" Sonic said, turning his gaze elsewhere. "We're through! Don't bother coming back!"

"Oh knock it off Sonic!" Blaze yelled laughing. She gently punched his arm. "There's something wrong with you hedgehogs…"

"Sure, sure. Anyways, what did you get Rouge?"

"I got her a new makeup set. She was complaining about her lipstick and eyeliner being dull so I got a kit filled with new ones in different shades. I think she'll like it."

Sonic nodded in agreement. "I got her a photo album. She got a digital camera a few months ago, so I thought I might as well get her something useful."

"That was a good idea." Blaze told Sonic.

Around twenty minutes later, Amy came over. Blaze had a small chat with her, but she knew Amy wanted to spend some time with Sonic. Blaze told her she could go see Sonic, and headed into the kitchen. Before she could ponder on what she could do for the day, she heard a car pull up to the house. Peering through the window, she saw a red convertible with the hood up parked outside. Shadow came out from the car, slamming the door shut behind him.

_What a beauty of a car…_Blaze thought. Remembering Shadow was heading towards the door; she ran over and opened it before he had the chance to knock.

"Oh, hi." Shadow said. He wore a brown bomber jacket instead of his scarf that Blaze was used to seeing. He looked pretty different in it too.

"Shadow, are you here for a visit?" Blaze asked. Shadow simply shook his head.

"I had my car fixed." Shadow said. "I decided to have the winter tires on and go for a ride. Do you want to come along?"

"Really? Sure."

Blaze slipped on her boots and jacket and took off outside towards the car. Slipping into the passenger's seat, Blaze leaned back into the black leather seat. Shadow sat in the driver's seat, taking a firm grip on the wheel.

"You ready?" Shadow asked, a devilish smirk appearing on his face.

"…Yes?" Blaze asked, her voice filled with doubt. She double-checked to see if her seat belt was secure. Luckily, it was.

Riving up the engine, Shadow went into reverse, then jerked the convertible onto the road, leaving tire marks behind them.

"Oh great, you also suffer from road rage." Blaze muttered. "Aren't you going to put on your seat belt?"

Shadow gave her a quick glance before looking back to the road. "Nope, I don't need it. You might though."

Blaze frowned as she crossed her arms.

"So, where are we going?"

"Where ever we want to."

"How about some where's warm and sunny?" Blaze suggested.

Shadow nodded. "If you don't mind an hour's drive, we can visit Sutton Ville. It's summer all year round there."

Her ears perking up with curiosity, Blaze smiled. "Then lead us there."

Once they reached their destination, Shadow clicked off the heat. The hood came down and the sunshine poured into the car. Blaze slipped off her jacket and greeted the warmth from the sun. She also undid her ponytail, letting her hair flow freely in the breeze.

"I much rather this weather than the cold." Shadow told her. "I hate the cold. It makes doing anything or getting anywhere harder."

Blaze shrugged in response. "I really like it. I know what you mean though."

They soon went onto a gravel road. Dust came up behind the car as they sped through the countryside. Shadow, showing off, had taken both hands off the wheel.

"What are you doing?! Are you trying to kill us?!"

"I'm immortal, remember?"

Blaze grabbed the wheel quickly. "Yeah, you maybe, but not me!"

Rolling his eyes, Shadow took her hands off the wheel and put his own on it. "This is my car, not yours."

With an angry frown, Blaze slammed her fist against the dashboard, making Shadow yell, "Watch it Blaze."

"Just keep driving, you're boring me." Blaze said in a calm tone, a small smirk on her face. Shadow smirked as sped up, rocks flying behind the tires as they raced down the road.

Watching the green blurs of trees fly past them, Blaze laughed as the wind brushed against her face. Shadow smiled. Taking a quick look at her, he watched her lavender locks flow out behind her. Her golden eyes squinted against the wind, as a big grin formed on her muzzle. Her melodious laughter broke through his thoughts, causing him to chuckle softly. She truly was pretty, whether Shadow wanted to admit it or not.

"Shadow…" Blaze started. "…want to stop and get something to eat around here?"

Seeing a small town up ahead, Shadow nodded. "Sure."

The fire red convertible pulled up to a small ice cream shack. The shack was painted a bright white with a blue roof, and a few cars were parked beside it. After parking their own car, Shadow and Blaze walked up to the shack and order two milkshakes, fries, and a burger each. Their food ready and hot, they sat at a picnic table nearby.

"This is really good." Blaze commented as she took another bite of her cheeseburger. Shadow nodded in agreement as he stretched out his legs.

"So, this was supposed to be a drive, it turned out instead to be a road trip. Now it's a road trip and a meal…" Blaze said in an unfamiliar tone to Shadow. He looked up in question.

"…is this a date?" Blaze blurted. Shadow nearly choked on his food.

"What?!" Shadow asked in a confused tone. So much for keeping his cool…

"I was just wondering." Blaze said, looking down in embarrassment. Shadow stayed silent for a few seconds before asking, "Do you want it to be?"

Blaze looked up in surprise, her muzzle still bright red. "…what?"

Shadow fought off his humiliation as he repeated coolly, "Do you want this to be a date?"

Resting her head in her hands, Blaze leaned forward. "I don't know. You tell me. You _are_ the person who asked, not me."

Knowing she was right, Shadow finally swallowed his pride and answered with, "Yes, I was thinking of this as a date."

Blaze's eyes widened. "Then why didn't you say that when you came by?"

Clearing his throat, Shadow didn't look up to meet her gaze. "Because…I was embarrassed…"

Her heart pounding, Blaze slowly reached over and gently placed her hand over his, making him twitch in shock.

Taking a deep breath, Blaze told him, "…don't be…"

Shadow felt the blood rush to his face as he stared at their hands overlapping each other. He wasn't sure what to make of it. Her hand slowly retreated back into her lap, the warm touch gone from his fingers.

They stared at each other for a short time, both trying to convey the other's thoughts. The silence was only broken when Shadow said, "I won't…"

Blaze gave him a small smile and said, "Let's finish our food and keep going."

Shadow gave her a small nod and started to eat again.

For hours they drove on and on. They didn't stop. There were moments where the feeling of insecurity and awkwardness dangled heavily in the air, and there were other moments where they were in complete comfort, laughing and talking. It was odd at how two negatives could become so positive when fused together, a unique combination of angry, humor, and of course, hidden love.

The stars had come out on their way home. Blaze wore Shadow's bomber jacket, as hers wasn't as warm as his when they came back into the chilly weather. The hood was back up, shielding them from the night sky and the bitter cold snow. A slow song played through the speakers as Blaze told Shadow her kingdom, all of the different people and celebrations. She told him that when she headed back home, she would take him and the others with her to visit.

Shadow frowned when he remembered that Blaze was foreign to their dimension. She wasn't going to stay forever. When those words drifted through his mind, a sudden, painful fact clicked in his head for the first time.

_She isn't going to live forever either…_

Gritting his teeth, Shadow tightened his grip on the wheel as they came closer and closer to Sonic and Tails' house.

"Shadow, is something wrong?"

"It's…it's nothing." Shadow responded quickly. Blaze remained unconvinced, but she didn't bother go further on the subject.

When they finally arrived at the house, Shadow escorted Blaze to the door.

"I wonder if Sonic noticed how long I was gone." Blaze said in a teasing manner. Shadow quickly looked at the time on his watch: 9:00 PM. He had picked her up at 12:30. He knew Sonic was going to have a few questions about _that_.

The two stood outside the door as Blaze brushed a lock of her lavender hair back out of her eyes. Shadow looked down at her with a smirk.

"Have a good time?"

"I had more fun operations than today."

"Good to know."

Blaze laughed softly. Shadow always had a good comeback, whether it was harsh or easy-going.

"Here's your jacket back." Blaze said as she handed it over. Shadow quickly slipped it on. "Thanks for letting me use it."

"It was my pleasure." Shadow said with a small twinkle in his eye.

Blushing, Blaze took a step closer towards Shadow. "…I could fall in love with you Shadow…"

His eyes widening in surprise, Shadow stared down at her, meeting her gaze.

Looking away suddenly, Blaze added, "…I hope I never see you again, or I will."

Whirling around, Blaze quickly opened the door and slammed it shut, leaving a stunned Shadow on the doorstep.

With a determined look in his eyes, the ebony hedgehog quickly stalked off the steps and towards his car, his hands jammed into his pockets.

_If that's the case, then I will definitely be seeing you soon…_

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_**AN DETERMINED HEDGEHOG IS A VERY, VERY SERIOUS THING! DO NOT ATTRACT THEIR ATTENTION! THEY _WILL_ FIND YOU ALL!**

**Oh come on, you can't tell me you do not love this chapter. Okay, well that's possible, but I like it. It's up there in my favorite chapters to write.**

**And a very interesting turn of events hm? :D**

**-Kendell  
**


	16. Woe is Me, In More Ways than One

**Don't you just love my incredible updating skills? XD Seriously, I'm on a roll!**

**As for this chapter, I felt like I needed to write this. It's a pretty important chapter, even if there's barely any Shadaze in it. The next chapter will have lots of fluff though, so I do hope you enjoy this.**

**Disclaimer: I _dare_ you to sue Sega. Try it.**

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Blaze darted up the stairs and into her bedroom, locking the door behind her. She wasn't sure if Sonic had bothered to say hi or whether she had just ignored him, but she wasn't concerned with that now.

She curled up her knees and felt herself shake. She was so confused and upset. She was falling in love with the most unlikely person, Shadow.

Blaze mentally scolded herself. She knew she couldn't become attached to anyone in this dimension, but she knew she crossed that line when she had first stepped foot in Mobius. Sonic and Tails, Shadow and Rouge, Knuckles and Amy, she was slowly letting herself reach out to them instead of distancing herself away from them, to protect herself.

_Life sucks…_Blaze thought, growling. Even when she didn't want to be alone, she had to be. If only her kingdom was in this dimension, and Marine and Gardon were there with her, it would solve all her problems.

…Well, maybe not all of them. There was still the small fact that she was in love with Shadow, a situation like that has its own web of problems itself. She suddenly remembered that Shadow had asked her on a date today, and that they spent the whole day together.

Blushing, she smiled. She really liked Shadow. He was different from the others. He wasn't jumpy or hyper all the time, yet he was still able to feel like everyone else, even if he didn't like to show it.

"Blaze…?"

Blaze's ears twitched as she heard her name coming through the door.

"Can I come in?"

Blaze walked over and opened the door to see Sonic standing before her, his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

"Where have you been young lady?"

Blaze cocked an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"Do you know how worried we were when you disappeared off the face of the planet? Were you in such a rush that you couldn't tell us where you were going? Or were you trying to sneak off? Well, you going to answer me or stare at me with your mouth open all day?"

Blaze stared at Sonic in confusion and surprise. This was one of the few times he had ever seen Sonic act serious. The way he was talking reminded her of a father talking to his daughter after she stayed out passed her curfew.

"…Sonic? Are you alright?" Blaze asked. Sonic continued to tap his foot.

Rolling her eyes, Blaze finally answered, "I went for a drive with Shadow. We wanted to go to Sutton Ville, so we drove over and spent the day there."

Sonic's eyes widened. "Does his car have a back seat?!"

"What? I think…"

"HOW DO YOU KNOW?!"

"I looked back and saw it! Why? Is he not supposed to?" Blaze blurted quickly. She had no idea why Sonic went from asking where she was all day to about Shadow's car.

"Were you two ever in the back seat?!"

"No!"

With a sigh of relief, Sonic relaxed. Blaze took a few steps back.

"Why? What's the big deal about the back seat?"

Sonic gave her a questionable look, but smirked despite of it. "It's nothing, I just wanted to check. I don't want Shadow to take advantage of you that's all."

Blaze looked at him pathetically. "You're confusing me Sonic…"

"Then just forget about what I said." Sonic said, shrugging the conversation off before quickly changing the topic. "So…did you have a good time? Was Wonder Boy all he cracked up to be?"

_Wonder Boy?_ "Yeah, I did. It was interesting to see more of the countryside. This is a really nice place."

"Sutton Ville is a pretty cool hangout, especially in the summer. Rouge has awesome beach parties over there. You have to come to the next one!"

Blaze's ears fell flat against her head. "I'll be leaving in the spring, remember?"

Sonic gazed at her before saying, "Yeah, but you could always come back. The machine could handle it."

Blaze's stomach tightened in a knot. She wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to come back after the machine was fixed. If the machine ever got damaged again, there was the slight change that it would disconnect its power and leave Blaze stranded here. Luckily, the machine only needed repairs…this time.

"…Maybe." Blaze said after a long pause. Sonic put a hand on her shoulder.

"You need to take more risks you know." Sonic said, teasing her. Blaze sighed with an annoyed frown.

"I know, I know. You tell me all the time."

**The next morning…**

Shadow grunted as he sat up in bed. He had stayed up to midnight, forced to endure Rouge's questions. Shadow regretted ever asking for her help. Now that Rouge got something interesting, she was determined to find out more, no matter what.

Rouge had asked him questions like, "How did Blaze react?" or "Were you being a gentlemen?" and "Did you mess up?"

Of course, he muttered answers, desperate to just shut his mind down and go to sleep, but she persisted until Shadow told her what Blaze had said when he dropped her off. Rouge seemed surprised, but decided to not push her luck further. Finally, Shadow was left in peace, and drifted into sleep immediately.

Walking to the table, he was glad to see Rouge had just finished making breakfast. Muttering a 'good morning' to Rouge, he grabbed some slices of bacon and toast and sat down at the table, drinking his cup of coffee.

"How was your sleep?" Rouge asked as she daintily took a sip of her tea.

"Good…" Shadow said. He was starving, yet he barely had the energy to pick up his fork. He picked at his bacon before finally taking a bite.

"Shadow, you don't look so good." Rouge said in concern. Shadow looked weak and tired, as if he was sick. Shadow mumbled something under his breath.

"Look at me Shadow." Rouge commanded. Shadow turned his gaze towards her, and Rouge noticed how much older he looked. He didn't look like the strong, mature eighteen year old he was, he looked like he had aged overnight. Rouge tapped her fingers on the table in worry.

"Are you worried over something?" Rouge asked. Sighing, Shadow took another sip of coffee.

"…Yeah, I guess."

"What is it?"

Shadow remained silent. He kept fumbling over the same sentence over and over, _She's not going to live forever…she's not going to live forever…_

"It's my immorality." Shadow finally said. "I don't want it."

Rouge stared at him in surprise. "Why Shadow? I thought you liked it. You can never get seriously injured or hurt. You'll go on forever…"

"That is exactly why it's bothering me!" Shadow snapped. "How do you think I feel when I think that I'll have to watch all of you get old with your own families? Anyone I ever get close to will die sometime or another and I'll always be the one left, the lucky one, the ageless one! Have you ever thought that maybe I wanted to age with you guys? I don't want to stay eighteen forever. I'll never have the chance to mature and have my own family with my _own _wife and my _own_ kids! I'd rather take on death than stay immortal and watch you guys live your lives and leave me behind…"

Rouge looked at him, empathy in her sea-green eyes. "Oh Shadow…I know how you feel, but there's nothing you can do…"

Shadow didn't bother to look up. He stared down at the table in anger and frustration. Shadow always got what we wanted, yet this time; it looked like it was too far out of reach.

They finished their meal in silence. Rouge felt disappointment tug at her thoughts. She had always pitied Shadow for losing Maria and everyone he loved on the ARK, but now she sympathized for him. She never knew what it was like to be in his situation, and she never will, but from what he said, immorality was a huge and incredible ability to have, but had many downfalls to it as well.

Once he finished his meal, Shadow put his dishes in the sink and walked into his room, closing the door behind him. He was at a lost. His ears fell flat as he let himself sink down to the floor as he leaned against the wall. Looking around, he saw the picture of him, the doctor, and Maria on the table beside him. Holding it in his hands, he stared at it, feeling the anger and pain build up inside him. In frustration he threw it against the wall, the glass shattering as it fell to the ground.

_Everyone I love I will lose…no matter what…_

Staring into the darkness of his room, Shadow realized just how unlucky he really was.

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**This is more of a character development chapter. I always wondered about how Shadow felt about being immortal. I like to think that maybe he loves the power it harnesses, yet he secretly loathes it. Shadow is such a interesting character that I felt that I had to write this chapter, to give him some more three-dimensional values.**

**Thanks for reading! **

**-Kendell  
**


	17. Deck the Halls

**It's another update! Be happy you little FREAKS!**

**Well, I have...101...reviews...are you people for FREAKING REAL?! SERIOUSLY! WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THIS STORY?!**

**If you review this chapter, I would appreciate if you put in your review what you like about this story. And please, nothing like, "Oh because, it's, like, funneh, and has Shadaze, ya know?". I mean real reasons XD**

**Thanks for the support and I appreciate all of your feedback!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own...ahhhh screw it...**

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It had been around noon that day when the phone rang. Still worried about Shadow, Rouge hesitantly answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi Rouge. It's me, Blaze."

A smile formed on Rouge's face. "How are you dear?"

"I'm doing fine, thank you. Rouge, I was wondering if you and Shadow wanted to come over. We need help putting up the lights and lawn decorations outside, so we thought we'd have you two, Knuckles and Amy over. Do you want to come?"

"Uh…sure, I'll come. I'm not sure about Shadow though. He's not feeling well."

"He's not?" Blaze asked in a worried tone. Rouge thought her answer over before finally saying, "I'll go ask him."

Putting the phone down, Rouge knocked on Shadow's door before entering. "Blaze is on the phone. She and the others are going to put up their Christmas lights and want us and the others to help." Smiling, Rouge added, "It would be a lot of fun. Do you want to go over?"

Shadow was lying down on his bed, listening to what Rouge said. Sitting up, he gave her an emotionless look. "Yeah, I guess."

Rouge beamed. A visit with the others would surely cheer Shadow up. "I'll go tell her then."

Closing the door behind her, Rouge went over to the phone and continued talking with Blaze. Shadow rubbed his eyes tiredly and sighed. He wasn't sure if he could face Blaze now. His thoughts still repeating in his head, he rubbed his forehead as he walked out of his room, grabbing his bomber jacket and slipping it on. Rouge hung up the phone and wore her black, leather coat.

Using Shadow's car, the two drove over to Sonic's house. Shadow remained silent the whole drive, making Rouge uneasy. She was starting to doubt whether having him over was a good idea or not.

Shadow stared straight ahead, his eyes still and focused on the road in front of him. Every time he thought of Blaze, his fingers clenched onto the wheel tighter, making Rouge go stiff with concern. Taking a sharp turn, they pulled up to the house, the sound of muffled music ringing in their ears.

Once they parked outside, they walked into the house, the smell of Christmas cookies lingering in the air. Rouge's ears perked up once she heard laughing coming from the living room. The two exchanged glances before entering the living room.

The stereo was blaring '_Rocking around the Christmas Tree'_ as Rouge and Shadow silently peeked into the room. Rouge snickered at what she saw. Knuckles and Blaze were dancing to the music, their feet matching the beat as they shyly danced. Knuckles spun her around and then caught her again, as Amy and Tails danced happily to the music.

Shadow didn't find it so funny though. He didn't feel quite so hot when he saw Knuckles dancing with Blaze. In fact, he felt sort of disappointed. It was as if he could feel his heart plummet into his stomach.

Rouge walked into the room and tapped Blaze's shoulder. Whirling around, Blaze smiled. "Oh, hi Rouge."

Rouge giggled. "Having fun?"

Knuckles' blushed at Rouge's comment. Blaze rolled her eyes smirking. Almost everything Rouge did made Knuckles blush. It was kind of cute in a way. She had a feeling that Rouge really liked him more than she let on. Smiling to herself, Blaze hoped that maybe Rouge would get closer to Knuckles, more attached. Maybe if Rouge had someone to care for and love, she wouldn't feel the need to steal jewels and gems to replace that missing, warm feeling in her heart that she lost when she was eight, when she was left on her own…

"Blaze, I hope you don't mind, but do you think I could steal your dance partner here?" Rouge asked, jerking her thumb in Knuckles' direction.

"He's all yours." Blaze said, giving Knuckles a small smile. To her surprise, he sent a smile back. Turning towards the kitchen, her gaze caught sight of Shadow, and she immediately felt her muzzle grow hot.

Shadow stepped into the living room and approached her. "Hi, Blaze."

Blaze remained quiet. Shadow sighed. He remembered what she had said about hoping not to see him again. He wondered if she would turn and around and ignore him.

Instead, Blaze walked up to him, an emotionless look in her golden eyes. "I'm glad you came. Rouge said you didn't feel good. You got me all worried."

Shadow cocked an eyebrow. "I did?"

Blaze slowly nodded. She had a feeling that Shadow was on the defensive today. Whether this was her intuition or not, she felt her words get stuck in her throat.

Shadow gazed around the room, hoping something would come to him and break through his repetitive thoughts. To his misfortune, nothing came to his mind.

As if on cue, Sonic burst into the room, carrying a heavy box of lights. "Hey everybody, having a good time?"

Amy suddenly called his name, running full speed at her crush and hugging him tightly, causing the box to fall on the floor. Walking over in Sonic's direction, Shadow picked up the box of lights and turned his back to Sonic, ignoring his pleas of help.

"A-Amy…have mercy!" Sonic managed to choke out. Amy finally let go of Sonic, allowing him to breathe freely again. "Nice seeing you too." Sonic muttered as Amy giggled.

Knuckles, Tails, and Rouge laughed at him, even though he shouted at them for being cruel. Blaze sighed in annoyance. She didn't know who was more of a drama queen, Shadow or Sonic?

As if he heard her thoughts, she felt a penetrating glaze on her back. She looked back to see Shadow staring at her, his ruby eyes flickering with an emotion unknown to her. His gaze frightened her, making her eyes grow wide. She quickly moved herself closer to Rouge and Sonic, hoping he'd take a hint and stop watching her.

Shadow didn't know whether to leave or stay. He didn't know whether to avoid Blaze or confront her. He didn't even know what he was doing there. What was the purpose of this whole thing anyway, to put up Christmas lights? Growling, Shadow sat down on the couch, kicking his feet up onto the coffee table.

A big smile plastered on his face, Sonic cheered, "Now before we get to work, how about we all have a hot drink?" Everyone besides the ever-silent Blaze and Shadow yelled in agreement.

Blaze nervously glanced towards Shadow. He stared out the window, his eyes narrowed and hard. He didn't seem relaxed or calm. He seemed to be in a deep trance, as if he was trying to sort out his thoughts. From his expression, he wasn't succeeded. His head suddenly turned and they caught sight of each other. Blaze froze on the spot. She wasn't usually so anxious or jumpy, but after last night, she wondered about how Shadow how reacted to what she had said. She wished she could've kept her mouth shut. It would have made her day so much easier.

Shadow broke their gaze by standing up. He walked over towards Blaze, and asked her, "Will you help me do the lawn decorations?"

Blaze felt her jaw drop. By the way he had watched her and glared at her, she was sure he was angry at her. Now he was asking her to help him out with the decorations? Puzzling, yes, but relieving too. Golden eyes meeting red, she answered, "I thought you'd never ask."

Shadow smirked, giving her a nod. "Listen, tonight, I want to talk to you."

She knew her face was turning pink, but she was more focused on trying to figure him out. "I think that would be a good idea."

The crew piled into the wooden kitchen, the smell of cocoa intoxicating them. Blaze inhaled slowly. She loved these new, wondrous smells. Cocoa, mint, pine, fresh cut poinsettias, all of them she had discovered because of Christmas. Nothing had ever affected her like Christmas. It made her want to smile, to laugh, to be cheerful…to be alive. Everything was so magical and eye-opening, it was what she needed.

After finishing their drinks and carrying on, Sonic spoke up again. "Okay, who wants to help with the Christmas lights?"

Blaze immediately shook her head as everyone else raised their hands eagerly. She hated heights, and even a holiday like this wasn't going to change it.

Shadow never bothered to put his hand up. He had his mind set on doing lawn decorations. Besides, he wasn't going to help 'faker'. He didn't want to, so why should he?

His emerald eyes shimmering, Sonic said, "So Blaze and Shadow can do the lawn decorations, Tails and Amy can take out the boxes, and Knuckles, Rouge and I will put up the lights, how's that?"

No one seemed to disagree, so it was settled. With a clap of his hands, everyone scrambled to get to work. Shadow and Blaze were the only ones left; they weren't in that big of a rush to place plastic reindeer in front of a house.

Before she noticed what he was doing, Shadow wrapped his hand tightly around hers; pulling her along to make sure she was right behind him. Blaze stared at their hands and blushed, wondering, hoping that he loved her, as much as she loved him.

Her eyes softened as she gasped under her breath. _Did I really admit I'm in love…with him?_

Blaze didn't need to second guess, she knew it was true. Shadow was the only one who managed to actually touch her heart in a way she thought no one could. She smiled, enjoying the tender feeling as they both went out into the winter air, hand in hand.

**Thirty minutes later…**

Sonic wobbled as he tried to finish stapling the last string of lights. His boots were digging into Knuckles' shoulder, causing the echidna to grunt and groan to pain.

"Hurry it up Sonic! I thought you were supposed to be 'the fastest thing alive'?"

"Oh, stop complaining hot head."

"What did you say?!"

"How about you both shut your traps before I do it for you!"

The two went silent, still uttering and whining under their breaths. They didn't bother argue against Rouge. Rouge knew exactly how to get what she want, and what she wanted was to knock some sense into their thick skulls.

Tails and Amy watched the three admiringly. Younger than the trio, they looked up to them, even when they were fighting or picking. Amy giggled when she watched Sonic fumble with the lights. It was funny to see him so frustrated by something so easy. He could save the world, yet could barely put up the Christmas lights. That's what she loved about him though. He was a hero, yet he had his faults and quirks.

Rolling her eyes, Rouge flicked out her wings and flew up so she was level with Sonic. With a simple few movements, she stapled the last of the string of lights, tossed the stapler down to Tails and landed flawlessly onto the ground. Tails gave her a small cheer, making her grin.

"Yeah, well, I don't think it was that amazing…" Sonic muttered. Before he could catch himself, he felt himself lean back. Flailing his arms to try to catch his balance, he accidently hit Knuckles and caused the two to fall backwards into the snow bank, screaming for help on their way down.

Shadow and Blaze had gotten along fine. Three, glittery reindeer stood in front of the house, and a plastic Santa stood by the front door. The two had also linked some extra lights along the white, picket fence that went along the walkway to the porch. They also put red and green lights in some nearby bushes to finish off the look. Proud of their work, the two gave each other their rare smile.

Before Shadow could continue their conversation, the two turned their heads towards the side of the house, just in time to catch Knuckles and Sonic tumble into the snow. The two joined the others and helped them up.

"Oh Sonic, are you alright?" Amy gushed, sounding as if she was on the verge of crying. Sonic gave her a comforting smile.

"Amy, you worry too much. I'm perfectly fine!" Sonic told her convincingly, straightening his back. Knuckles gave him a shove, obviously annoyed that he caused them both to fall. Rouge couldn't help but snicker.

Shadow smirked roguishly. He was actually pretty glad he came, it had turned out amusing. He looked over towards Blaze and she smiled at him, her eyes twinkling with laughter.

_I won't let anything happen to you Blaze…_Shadow thought, taking a step closer towards her protectively. He was going to tell her tonight. He needed her to know how he felt. He only hoped that she would accept his feelings. She had said she could love him. She _could_. But _would_ she?

_I guess tonight I will get my answer…_

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_**Yes, Shadow, you will get your answer...only to be painfully rejected and live in complete sorrow for the rest of your pathetic life...**

**...just kidding!**

**Read and Review!**

**-Kendell  
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	18. No Words

**Two updates in one day. I. Rock. **

**Yeah, and if you didn't realize, this takes places AFTER the last chapter. It's later that night. I think that's all you need for this chapter.**

**Oh, and this is IMPORTANT!**

**I have planned to have probably at least 25, I repeat, 25 chapters for this story. Maybe even more. It will probably lean towards thirty the way this story's going. The climax is coming up. Don't expect it to happen for at least three or four chapters yet. The point of this story is so that I can develop the characters. I don't want a story that goes 'Blaze met Shadow one day and thought he was handsome. It was love at first sight and they made out passionately and had forty-five kids. The End.' Stories that RUSH ruin it, well at least, for me. So, I'm going to take my sweet, sweet time and hopefully make this story one that you will NEVAH forget. Yeah, well, you probably will, but...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic and Co. I sold them on Ebay. BIG MISTAKE! **

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The sky was pitch black. The only light came from the shining, full moon and the thousands of stars staring back at the planet. The bitter wind blew through Blaze's coat as she and Shadow walked up onto the hill, their favorite spot. The sound of crunching snow beneath their feet made Blaze's heart thud faster. She was nervous of what was about to happen. She didn't deny that.

The two finally made it to the top, both pausing to gaze at the old oak, bare without its leaves. With a swift jump, Blaze landed onto a flat branch, and waited until Shadow landed beside her. The two stared out through the branches and out at the moon. They didn't need to talk. Not right now.

It was almost twenty minutes later before Shadow looked at Blaze. Even in the dark, her hazel eyes glowed and smoldered in the dark. She stared straight at the moon, deep in thought. Shadow couldn't help but think that she was beautiful. She really was. He wished he could say that easy, without having to feel awkward or out of control of his feelings. _Just my luck,_ he thought.

Stretching his arms out, he relaxed them and placed his hand back onto the branch, but accidently placed his hand over Blaze's, causing them to immediately take their hands away muttering 'sorry'.

Swallowing, Shadow turned his gaze towards Blaze, ignoring the burning sensation on his face.

"Blaze, I…I…"

Shadow could feel her curious gaze on him, and stared her straight in the eye before she could look away. Steadying his voice, he grabbed her hand and held it tightly.

"Blaze, I love you."

Blaze seemed taken back from what he said. They remained silent for a minute or two. The tension built up slowly between them. It wasn't until Shadow felt a clenching grip on his hand that he saw the mixed expressions in her eyes. He could see confusion, happiness, sadness, and uncertainty, but he couldn't decode the other hidden messages behind those eyes.

And before he could do anything, Blaze leaned in and pressed her lips against his; triggering a sudden, warm sensation throughout his body.

Closing his eyes, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close. He didn't want to let go, he didn't want anything to happen to her or to see her leave. She wrapped her arms around him, as if to keep him there with her. He didn't mind though, he actually sort of liked it. Deepening the kiss, he felt his eyes become watery and wet. He didn't let the tears come out, but he let the tears sting his eyes. He could feel how scared he was, and for the first time in a long time, he realized how deep his scars were. Caring about someone so much had uncovered memories that he had put away. It was as if he was reopening a wound, and as much as he hated to say it, it hurt.

As they pulled apart, Blaze softly said, "I love you too…"

Shadow, at first, didn't react to what she said. The words drifted in and around his head, before he finally absorbed it. A smile crept onto his face, relaxing in relief, and he slowly again leaned closer to Blaze's face, and kissed her again. Blaze kissed him back, her body tingling in anxiousness and excitement.

They pulled after a minute or two, but their hands were still intertwined, and they were still smiling.

"I don't want to love you…" Blaze admitted, her eyes becoming glazed. "I'm scared…because I know that I'm not from here…and…that I will have to leave…"

Shadow hugged her close to him, letting her rest her head on her chest. He rested his own head on top of hers, inhaling the soft scent of her lavender hair.

"You know…I lost everyone I loved…and that's what frightened me. I will live forever, so I would have to lose you sometime."

Blaze slowly realized how alike they were. They had gone through so much pain, so much loss, that they had let themselves decide that in order to not lose anyone else, that you had to stay away from everyone. Blaze knew that was a silly way to think for a long time. If it wasn't for Sonic, cunning, wild, Sonic, she would have stayed like that.

Her mind drifted quickly to her family. Her parents were gone. She knew that, she accepted that. She loathed their death with a passion, and it left her alone and in pain, but she never did deny it. Blaze then realized something else. She had a new family. Sonic, Tails, Rouge, Shadow, Gardon, Cream, Marine...all of them were her family. Rouge was like a mother to her and Tails, a confidant. Tails and Marine were like her younger siblings she always dreamt about when she was little and wanted company. Sonic was like her father, her protector, her brother. Sonic was a lot of things to her. They all were.

And Shadow…Shadow was…hers. She didn't like to see him as a boyfriend, a lover, she just saw him as hers, hers and hers alone.

Shadow nudged her a bit, taking her out of her trance.

"Are you alright Blaze? You got quiet all of a sudden…"

She could hear a small amount of concern in his usual emotionless, steady voice. Smiling, she snuggled into his white, warm chest fur. She thought over what he had said earlier, and went back to thinking again. She could tell from the way Shadow stared through the branches and into the darkness that he had a lot on his mind too. Finally, Blaze mustered up something to say, something she believed in.

"Shadow, all good things must end."

Shadow looked down at her in shock. Blaze's eyes shimmered with a calm, comforting look.

"That's why we have to learn to love each other while we can…before they are gone, and it's too late."

She ended her sentence by hugging Shadow in a warm embrace. Shadow placed his hands gently on her back, trying to keep his hands from trembling. He didn't bother replying, there was nothing to say. There were no words.

The air became silent again. There were no words…

…the night said enough…

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**I don't know why I ended it like this. The phrase, 'There is no words' just popped into my head and I fell in love with it!**

**OH, and I have set up a poll about THIS STORY on my profile and I would appreciate some votes! It may affect how this story goes!**

**Thanks for reading, and I hope you review with thoughts!**

**-Kendell**

**P.S. My Author's notes are getting long. My fingers hurt now! :( CURSE YOU PEOPLE!  
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	19. Things are Rough All Over

**Here's another update. If there's any spelling mistakes or whatever, just ignore them. I had people hounding on me for an update, so please don't blame me if a part seems rushed or if this chapter isn't as good as the others.**

**If people ask me again to hurry with updates, I will make the next update in two weeks whether I finish the chapter earlier or not. I'm not kidding. I'm sorry if I seem harsh, but I don't want to rush through this story. I try to update as fast I can, and I won't reply to comments or reviews asking for quicker updates. Please be patient and don't make me rush this story. Besides, we only got roughly ten chapters left. **

**As for this chapter, this is more character development. Lots of pasts are revealed and things of that sort. This will probably be the last chapter you will see with MAJOR character development. I will still be developing the characters, but there will be no chapters simply focusing on C.D. There will be a lot of Shadaze in the following chapters, so shut up and read.**

**Disclaimer: If you are on Fanfiction looking for stories that are actually written by Sega, you need to go to therapy...now!**

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Her heart seemed to beat faster and faster as Blaze made her way to Sonic's house. The lights were still on and she could see the colored lights on the tree sparkle through the frost-covered windows. She had left Shadow back up on the hill. He had given her a quick kiss, and told her to go home before he forced her to. Blushing at the thought of Shadow, Blaze quickened her pace up towards the house, stepping in quietly.

She hoped Sonic wouldn't ask about what her and Shadow had been doing. She didn't feel like arguing or fighting with the blue hedgehog. She was exhausted and wanted to slip into her warm bed and purr into the comfy pillows. Before she could head up the stairs, Sonic and Tails caught sight of her and yelled her name.

_Oh great…_Blaze thought, pulling herself away from the stairs and onto the couch. Tails had just finished fixing up the furniture while Sonic threw the last bag of garbage into the kitchen. The young fox sat cross-legged on the floor as Sonic took his place on the couch beside Blaze.

"How's it going?" Sonic asked cheerfully. Blaze stared at him with an emotionless stare, not bothering to answer him.

"I can take it you had a great time!" Sonic exclaimed, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Blaze couldn't help but muster up a smile. Sonic could make anyone smile…well, except for Shadow, but he doesn't really count for these kinds of things.

The three chatted for awhile, talking about parties and books and different things they wanted for Christmas. Before long it was getting close to midnight, but the three didn't take any notice to it. Tails and Blaze laughed at Sonic as he continued to do impressions of everyone, and he was good at it too.

"Do…" Blaze started, gasping for breath. "…Do…Knuckles again! You had him perfect!"

Standing up, Sonic puffed out his chest and crossed his arms. He had an angry frown on his face and his eyes were narrowed at Tails.

"You! I should've known better than to trust the likes of you! You looked at the Master Emerald….LOOKED AT IT!"

Tails broke into a fit of giggles as Blaze covered her mouth, trying to suppress her laughter. Sonic was about to continue his impression but started laughing himself, and before long he was holding onto his stomach in pain for laughing so hard.

Blaze wiped tears away from her eyes. It had been a long time since she had laughed like this. Her stomach muscles ached from laughing, but she ignored it.

"Oh Sonic…I love you!" She blurted, still chuckling. In a matter of seconds, she suddenly realized exactly what she had said. "I…I mean…uh…"

Tails stared at her wide-eyed as Sonic cracked a grin. "Aw Blaze, you don't know how sweet it is to know you can finally say that!" He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into a bear hug. "I have officially cracked the cold wall surrounding Blaze's heart!"

Blaze smiled as she hugged him back. When she had said that, she meant that she loved Sonic, and everything about him. Of course, she didn't love him any more than a friend. That kind of love was special, and reserved for Shadow. Shadow and her may have fallen for each other, and admitted it openly, but Sonic was right. Sonic had just broken the little barrier around her heart. She was finally able to say 'I love you' and express that in different ways, just like Sonic or Amy or anyone else could. She had already warmed up to that thought.

The two broke apart and Tails beamed at them. Blaze looked at the two-tailed fox. For the first time, she wondered why he was living with Sonic. Didn't he have his own parents? Blaze looked away with a sudden thought. Maybe Tails was an orphan, much like her. Sonic may have found him and taken him under his wing.

"Why do you live with Sonic Tails?" She finally asked. Sonic looked away from her sheepishly and Tails stayed silent, as if trying to find his words.

"Tails doesn't have any parents." Sonic told her. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was a certain expression and tone in his voice that she couldn't name.

"Oh…Tails, I'm so sorry." She said softly, looking at Tails sympathetically. Tails shrugged and continued to smile.

"It's okay Blaze. I don't even know what my parents look like."

Blaze felt herself jump in shock. "What do you mean?"

Tails seemed a tad uncomfortable, but tried to cover it with a smile. "I lived in an orphanage for most of my life. I was a baby when my parents gave me away. I don't know their names or what they did or what they looked like."

"That's terrible…" Blaze started to say, but her voice faltered off. Sonic gazed at Tails sadly.

Tails, however, continued to smile that bright smile everyone loved. "Oh that's okay. I don't really miss them. How can I? I never knew who they were, so you can't miss people you don't know…right?"

Tails' voice started to quiver when he stopped speaking. Blaze wanted to give him a big hug, but he bet her to it. He jumped up and curled up in Blaze's lap, not caring whether she blew up at him or shoved him off. To his relief, Blaze petted his head softly. Tears started to form in his big, baby blue eyes, and Blaze felt her gut twist with sadness. _Oh Tails…if only you didn't have to go through that…anyone but you…_

Blaze had grown up with one thought haunting the back of her mind. She was the only one to go through the pain of losing the people you love. Everything was only rough for her. No one had to be separated away from the rest of society, and know that your parents will never come back and hug and kiss you with affection. Looking back now, Blaze knew that was stupid. She felt foolish for ever believing that she was the only one who had a rough go with things.

Sonic nudged the young fox gently. "Hey lil' buddy, don't get upset about that. You got us remember? The whole gang loves you to death!"

Tails smiled weakly at Sonic. "Yeah, I know…"

Blaze couldn't help but ask Sonic, "What about you Sonic? Why are you always going from place to place? Do you still have your parents?"

Sonic stared at her for a few seconds before quickly shaking his head. "Oh no, I don't have my parents no more. I left my home three years ago."

"Why would you leave your home?"

Sonic stared at the floor wide-eyed, an emotionless frown on his face. "I was about twelve when I left. Robotnik had charged into the village and was capturing everyone and turning them into robots and machines. I was so scared that I started to cry. My mom…my sweet and beautiful Mom…told me that everything would be alright if we ran. And we did. We ran hand-in-hand as fast as we could. But they still found us. Robotnik laughed at us and he started to try and grab us with this mechanical arm on his machine. My Mom pushed me out of the way, and she tripped and fell. I remember looking back, asking my Mom to come with me, and she told me with tears in her eyes, 'Just run Sonic, and everything will be okay. Just run no matter what. Run Sonic. Run.' So I did. I ran for days and never stopped. Once I started, I kept going. After awhile, I started to love running. I was real good at it. I was fast just like when my Mom and I used to play tag. I still am. Run Sonic…no matter what…"

His voice started to trail off and Blaze felt her heart sank. Sonic ran because his Mom had told him to…because he didn't want to get hurt. All this time, Blaze had just thought Sonic had always been happy, without a care in the world. That was what she had envied of him so much. Sonic always seemed so care-free and never seemed to be worried about anything. Blaze swallowed, trying to hide her fright. She had been dead wrong. Things were rough for everyone alright.

Blaze and Tails watched Sonic shake as he fought to control his breathing. Blaze knew what he was trying to do. He didn't want them to see him cry. If Sonic cried, then there was absolutely no one that could never cry. Sonic never let anything get him down. No matter what danger he was facing or what happened, he just kept on smirking and fighting. Blaze knew that what happened to his Mom was something that Sonic would never fight off.

In a matter of seconds, Sonic was under control and beamed at them. "Why are we talking about this anyway? It's such a bore!"

_He's just trying to change the conversation…_Blaze thought, but knew he was doing so because he didn't want to think about his Mom again. His sweet and beautiful mom…

"Does Amy still have her parents? She's a lot like you Sonic. She's always moving and never seems to be home." Blaze said. Tails perked up when she finished talking.

"Amy still got her Mom and Dad." He said, but he wasn't smiling. Something wasn't right for Amy either.

"What are they like?" Blaze asked them. "Did you ever meet them?"

Sonic laughed sarcastically. "Oh yeah, we met them. Great people…" Sonic muttered, crossing her arms.

"I don't like them…" Tails whispered.

"Don't tell me they…hit Amy…" Blaze said, her golden eyes shimmering with shock and horror. Sonic shook his head as he glared ahead.

"No…they just don't care." Sonic said. "They never speak to her. They never ask about her. They ignore her completely. It's like she was never born."

Blaze flattened her ears against her head. She felt her fur stand up in anger, but didn't say anything. "Why would they act like that? Don't they love her?"

"They don't want her." Sonic stated flatly. "She was a _mistake_."

"They didn't say that to her..." Blaze gasped.

"Why the hell wouldn't they? Amy never went home for four weeks after they said that. When she finally went home, they didn't say a word to her. They weren't worried or angry about her disappearance. They simply don't care about one thing that happens to her."

Blaze could tell Sonic hated Amy's parents. Blaze could feel a strong hatred growing against them too. They might as well treat her as dirt. It's the same as not caring properly for her.

Bubbly, little Amy was really more alone than she let on. She never liked being home because she wasn't wanted at home. Blaze couldn't blame Amy for being so attention-needy and clingy. She was ignored and shunned at home, a place where she should feel safe and welcome. All Amy really wanted was to give and receive love. Blaze sighed. She had always thought that Amy was obsessed with romance and love because she had a crush on Sonic. Maybe that was part of the reason. Or maybe it was because she barely received any herself that she just wanted to give some to everyone else, even if she sometimes gave it when it wasn't needed or wanted.

"It's not fair!" Blaze cried, slamming her fist down against the couch. It wasn't fair that Sonic felt the need to run because he was scared he would die if he didn't. It wasn't fair that Amy was so pure and innocent yet was treated as if she didn't exist to her parents. It wasn't fair that Rouge stole jewels only to fill the emptiness she was left with when she was left alone on the wrong side of town. It wasn't fair that Tails didn't cry over his parents because he had never gotten the chance to know them. It wasn't fair that Gardon had to become old before his time, worrying and caring for 'Missy' when he really didn't need to. It wasn't fair that Shadow would have to lose everyone he loves only because he was blessed with a curse of immorality. It wasn't fair that Knuckles, strong and quiet Knuckles, was forced to live with the fact that he was the last one of his species, and had to guard an emerald for all his life. It wasn't fair for Blaze herself to be isolated and alone and to feel the need to shun away love. And it wasn't fair, that they were all facing such pain and loss when they were only _kids_. They shouldn't be going through all of these problems. They never had the chance to mature and understand them better.

For once in a long time, Blaze saw traces of sadness in Sonic's eyes. "You're right. It isn't fair." Sonic said slowly. Blaze watched his round, emerald eyes become stormy.

Tails didn't bother to say anything. He just placed his head onto Blaze's lap, letting her pet his head comfortingly, even though he could tell Blaze was trembling with anger and frustration.

They were quiet for a long time. The only sound in the room was the gentle gusts of wind outside, and the hum of the heater floating throughout the house. It must have been an hour before Sonic yawned, stretching his back while complaining about how late it was. Tails had fallen asleep on Blaze's lap, and she wished she could pass out on the couch like him.

Sonic swooped Tails up into his arms, and carried him into his bedroom. Blaze limped tiredly up the stairs and into her room.

Falling asleep, Blaze dreamt of a beautiful, sky-blue hedgehog. Her spines curled up along her face in dainty curls. Her eyes were a bright shining green and she had a soft smile on her face. And standing beside her, was a smaller, younger hedgehog. He had her eyes and her fur, but had a trouble-making grin on his face.

And behind them was Amy, holding the hands of two older hedgehogs that beamed down at her, petting her head and praising her.

Near to the side was an eight year old white bat. She was wearing a faded pink dress and had her hair in two, tiny pigtails. Cuddling her close was two older bats, one brown and one white, kissing her cheeks and tickling her. The brown bat had short hair and sea green eyes like her, while the white, female bat had long, black lashes and wavy, silver hair.

To the right was Knuckles, surrounded by family and friends that had been absent for so long. His usual smug grin was replaced with a happy and warm smile.

Behind all of them was Shadow, standing protectively near a twelve year old girl with short, blond hair and twinkling, blue eyes. Shadow smiled up to an older man with them. The older man had on a white lab coat and had a bushy, white mustache.

Up on the hill was a baby fox with two, bushy tails. The two older foxes held the bundle in their arms, looking at the bright-eyed baby with admiration and affection.

In the center of the crowd, was Blaze herself, six years old and dressed in a gold summer dress. Her father stood behind her with a hand on her shoulder, his hazel eyes shimmering. Her golden and warm mother crouched beside her, wrapping her in a tight hug that Blaze wished would last forever. With them was a young and care-free Gardon. He was talking to Blaze and calling her 'Missy' with that cheerful charm that he used to have.

…If only it wasn't a dream…

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**Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm feeling a bit grouchy so don't expect my usual happy and funny author's comments. Hope you liked the chapter anyway.**

**-Kendell  
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	20. A Peaceful Silence

**Finally, an update! :D **

**Muahahaha....the climax will happen after the next chapter! Oh, the suspense! I can't wait to write it! :D**

**Chapter is Shadazey, nothing special really happens. It's been around five days since Shadow and Blaze confessed their love to each other. Oh joy.**

**And to everyone, Merry (Early) Christmas! Yay!**

**Disclaimer: Shoes...shoes...shoes...OMG SHOES!**

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**Four days later…December 20****th****…**

With Christmas just around the corner, it was hard for Shadow and Blaze to have private time together. They had told everyone about their relationship, and, to say the least, everyone was surprised. Well, except for Rouge, but she knew about it anyway.

Luckily, Shadow had the apartment all to himself, so he invited Blaze over. Everyone was started to like the idea of Shadow having a girlfriend. He started to cheer up more, wasn't afraid to smile, and seemed like a whole person again. That was exactly how Shadow felt. He felt whole again, like all the cuts on his heart were stitched back together. It was a good feeling.

Of course, Blaze and Shadow weren't holding hands, beaming every second, and jumping for joy. No way in hell would they be reduced to Amy's level of hyperactivity. Blaze was still awkward, shy, and distant. Shadow was still cold, defensive and cocky. That doesn't mean they weren't afraid to show how they felt though.

That day, Blaze strolled along the street, heading for Rouge and Shadow's apartment building. She couldn't wait to see Shadow. She had a Christmas gift for Shadow, and wanted him to open it before Christmas. She thought about the teddy bear Shadow had given her and she blushed, her stomach filled with butterflies. _If only I wasn't so…awkward…_Blaze thought. _If I was more like Rouge, stuff like this wouldn't embarrass me so much…_

Standing outside the door, Blaze hurriedly knocked. The air was bitter cold, worse than ever, and Blaze couldn't stand it. She was amazed she made it this far.

Shadow opened the door, and his eyes met with Blaze's. "Hello Blaze, you look cold."

"Get out of the way before I turn to ice."

"Suit yourself."

Shadow stepped to the side to let Blaze enter before closing the door. The two headed into the living room, plopping down on the couch as they snuggled up close together.

"What's that?" Shadow asked, pointing to the box in Blaze's arms.

"It's a Christmas present for you!" Blaze said. "I hope you like it."

Gingerly, Shadow took the present from Blaze, eyeing the golden wrapping paper before ripping it apart. In front of him was a small box. He took off the lid and peered inside, quite surprised by what he saw.

"Is this…" His voice trailed off as he pulled out a picture frame into the light. It was a picture of everyone he knew, from Team Chaotix to Sonic and the gang, posing and smiling in front of a red curtain and a glittering Christmas tree. Around the picture was a silver frame, and Shadow couldn't help but stare at the photo curiously.

"It's a picture from the Christmas party we had awhile ago. You didn't come because you were busy remember? All the pictures in your room are so faded and depressing. I thought maybe you would like a colorful modern picture of everyone who cares about you." Blaze explained, her eyes twinkling.

Shadow turned his gaze to Blaze, then to the picture, then back to Blaze. This was the last thing he would have expected from Blaze. "…I like it." He finally admitted. "Really, I do. It's something practical anyway."

Blaze rolled her eyes in good humor. "I'm glad you do. It was hard coming up with a gift for you."

Shadow glared at her. "Thanks," He said in a flat tone, setting the picture aside. "You do wonders for my self esteem."

"Oh stop whining." Blaze taunted, leaning back against the couch. Shadow draped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. Staring out the window, watching every flake dance in the wind before touching the ground, Blaze felt at peace. She leaned her head against Shadow's. It was such a nice, warm feeling. Blaze was happy just to feel again.

They sat in silence, not an empty silence, but a comfortable silence. Like the feeling you get when you watch the sunrise, everything still and calm.

"Hey, Shadow?"

"Hm?"

"Have you ever watched a sunrise?"

Shadow looked at her. "No, why would I?"

She felt her heart sink a little, but she didn't show it. "No reason, I was just wondering. It's so beautiful, all the colors and serenity."

She looked up to see Shadow's emotionless face. For a second, she wondered how someone like Shadow could love like he could. Right now, his face was hard and rigid. Yet, if you looked hard enough, there were traces of pride, vengeance, and a deep hatred for the world. His dead eyes peered into hers as if she was a stranger. Shadow would never be the kind of person to watch the sunrise. That was more for the kind of people who woke up early in their palaces and watched the dawn appear for as long as they could before having to be sent into a dark chamber to watch a set of jewels. Shadow didn't have the time to do that, or the patience. Blaze did.

She shook her head, sighing. Shadow was like a labyrinth, too easy to get lost in. Shadow noticed the frustration in her face and asked, "What is it now?"

"Just forget it." Blaze said. There was no point in starting an argument. "I was just thinking. Let's relax okay?" Blaze persisted, curling up her legs. "I love being with you like this."

Shadow relaxed and shifted so he was as close to Blaze as possible. "Yeah, hey Blaze?"

"Yes Shadow,"

"I love you, a lot."

Blushing pink, Blaze tipped her head up and gave Shadow a peck on his muzzle. "I love you too Shadow, no matter what."

The two stared out the window. It was getting close to Christmas, and even Shadow and Blaze couldn't help but watch its magic in awe.

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**...AUGH I WANT TO WRITE EPIC CLIMAX! **

**-Kendell  
**


	21. Fights and Chats at the Cafe

**Hey everyone! Here's the next chapter. Almost Christmas Eve here, and I can't wait! :D I'm so excited!**

**Disclaimer: Sonic's not a rapper. He's in a boy band. Yep, he's the posh one. Totally rad.**

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It was the next day. The weather was relieving to Blaze after the day before. The sky was crystal clear, and the air didn't have that chilly edge to it. She trotted slowly through the busy sidewalks, her tail swinging behind her.

She was meeting up everyone at the Café. Coffee wasn't really her thing, but Tails told her that they made great hot chocolate. That was more like what she had in mind. When she reached the Café, she hurried inside and was greeted by the aroma of fresh coffee beans and mint.

"Hey Blaze, over here!" Sonic called, waving her over. Blaze gave him a small smile and took a seat in the booth beside him.

"Hello, where's Amy?" She asked when she noticed the pink hedgehog's absence.

Shadow shrugged. "We don't know. She may be visiting relatives out of town or something. She was talking about her Aunt earlier."

_Well at least someone in her family cares about her…_Blaze thought as she ordered a cup of hot chocolate.

Sonic, Blaze and Tails were all squished in one seat, while Rouge, Knuckles and Shadow sat opposite of them. Sonic insisted they grabbed a booth, probably because he thought they were more comfortable. Blaze sighed. She had to admit it though; the red leather was comfortable to sit on.

The cozy and quiet atmosphere of the Café was soon disrupted by the frequent arguing between Knuckles and Sonic, with the occasional opinion from Shadow. Rouge, Blaze and Tails calmly sipped their drinks and made small talk, causing other customers in the Café to stare at them and wonder: How the hell do they put up with all that yelling?

When it looked like a fight was about to start, the three sipping on their drinks leapt into action. Rouge slapped Knuckles across the back of the head. Blaze booted Shadow from underneath the table. And Tails had the pleasure of grabbing Sonic's ear and giving it a sharp tug.

"What was all that for?" Shadow hollered at them, holding his leg in pain. He found himself swearing when the oh-so-innocent three took another sip of their drinks.

Sonic rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, like that'll intimidate them."

Shadow pointed a finger towards Sonic threateningly. "Really, then you're next on my list Sonic."

To say the least, Sonic finally shut himself up. Everyone knows about Shadow's little list. It's far too complex to explain, but let's just say, you don't want to be on it.

Rouge rolled her jade eyes and sighed impatiently. "Can't you three ever shut the hell up? We came here to chat, not to fight."

Knuckles scoffed. "It gets boring though if there isn't a fight."

"Oh, like you would know!" Rouge replied quickly. Knuckles tried to think of something to say, but nothing came out. Rouge had that kind of effect on people.

Shadow shook his head wordlessly and looked over at Blaze. Her gaze was elsewhere, but he stared at her anyways. His blood red eyes longed for her company again. He was never fond of anyone like her before, except for Maria, but Maria wasn't there anymore. How could he love someone that wasn't there?

Shadow finally caught her attention, and their eyes met. Golden eyes reflected in ruby eyes. Two negatives fused together to create a positive. Blaze was sure that there was nothing else in the world that was quite like what her and Shadow shared.

"Hello, Earth to Blaze, hello?!" Sonic called, waving his hand in front of her eyes. She jumped in her seat and narrowed her eyes at Sonic.

"What Sonic what?!"

"Just calling you back from La La Land."

"That would be where your brain is, wouldn't it?" Rouge cooed. Sonic gasped in mock horror.

"Rouge, you…you…you monster, how could you say that to me?"

Rouge giggled and shooed him away. "Sonic, you're crazy man."

"Are you absolutely sure that he's a man?" Knuckles challenged. "He's isn't that tough is he?"

Sonic's eyes flickered. Oh boy, did he ever love a challenge. Knuckles suddenly felt stupid for saying what he did.

"Well, Knuckles, if that's what you think, fine. I didn't know you could be oh-so-manly when you can't even guard a rock."

"It's not a rock!"

"It is so!"

"Screw you Sonic!" Knuckles yelled. Sonic didn't even falter.

"At least I don't have the mental capacity of a raccoon!"

Tails suddenly spoke up. "Hey! Marine is smarter than you'll ever be Sonic!"

The whole table turned to stare at the little fox. Even Shadow was watching him, completely impressed by his outburst.

Sonic was surprised too, until he cracked a grin. "Ohhhhhhh, I see. _Somebody_ has a crush on Marine…"

Tails became completely embarrassed. His muzzle bright pink, he quickly stammered, "N-no, I don't!"

"Yes you do! I can't believe it! It must be the hormones kicking in!"

"Sonic, do us all a favor and shut up," Shadow demanded in an emotionless voice.

Blaze felt sorry for the little guy, but kept silent. She had a feeling all along that Tails liked Marine, but she wouldn't _dare_ say that out loud.

For a few minutes, the table seemed to become somewhat civilized, until Sonic and Knuckles got arguing again. Shadow, Blaze and Rouge exchanged annoyed glances, choosing to ignore them. Knuckles was too hot-headed while Sonic was too hard-headed.

"Rouge and I aren't like that Sonic! Shut up!"

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised if you two weren't dating behind our backs," Sonic smirked. "Tell me Knuckles, is Rouge eating for two?"

Knuckles' face went redder than ever while Rouge nearly choked on the cake she had been nibbling on.

"That's it! You're fucking dead!" Knuckles bellowed before shooting his fists towards Sonic. The hedgehog dodged them just in time and darted out of the Café. Knuckles and Rouge followed after him, ready for a bloodfest.

All that was left was Shadow, Blaze and Tails. The three glanced at each other, shrugged, and ordered some cheesecake. They were sure the other three would manage.

An hour or two later, it was just Shadow and Blaze walking along the bustling sidewalks. Blaze always walked with a fast pace, but Shadow never fell behind. He walked with long strides beside her, their arms linked together.

"This is what I love about Christmas. All the people, the good deeds, the music, the smells, everything…" Blaze said, her breath coming out in frosted puffs. She suddenly became downcast. "I wish Gardon and Marine could see this."

Shadow couldn't help but feel for Blaze. She still had people she cared about back in her own dimension. As much as Shadow wanted her to stay, there was no denying that she would have to head back whenever the machine was repaired. The way progress was going, it should be fixed by mid-spring. Or at least, that's what Tails told Shadow.

"Maybe they will, someday." Shadow replied. "Don't think about them now. You will just get irritated and whiny and depressed." Upon seeing Blaze flatten her ears in anger, Shadow sighed and added, "I don't like seeing you like that."

The sky was becoming dark and the streetlights blinked on. Shops and homes greeted the darkness with bright colored lights and decorations, everything from wreaths and bows to strings of lights and displays.

"Shadow," Blaze began, "do you ever miss Maria?"

Shadow didn't turn to look at her, but said, "Everyday of my life."

There was a saddened silence until Shadow stopped in his tracks and faced Blaze. With a serious look on his face, he said, "Blaze, I know about many, many things. I have more precision and intellect than many computers built today. But I would trade every single thing I knew if I could learn one thing."

"What's that?"

Shadow gave her his rare smile. "If I learn how to save a life."

He leaned down and gave Blaze a deep kiss on the lips. They soon pulled apart and Shadow departed, his red scarf blowing in the chilly breeze.

Blaze watched him fade into the crowds, repeating his words in her head. _How to save a life…how to save a life…how to save a life…_

She vaguely wondered if he was referring to Maria, or to himself. Maybe he was referring to something she would never know about or something bigger. A feeling ran through her spine, one she couldn't pinpoint. _Probably just the chill from the wind, it's pretty cold out now_…Blaze thought. She soon turned and started to make her way back home.

On her way, she ran into Sonic. Sonic was wearing a cheeky grin and she couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"I escaped him! I, the great Sonic, have successfully maneuvered from the grasp of the troublesome two…"

"No wonder they tried to hunt you down. What you said was terrible Sonic."

"I guess you might be right. I'll apologize to them tomorrow when they cool down. Plus, I think they're in denial anyway. I mean, come on, it's almost official. They might as well just come out and say they are a couple."

Blaze huffed. "There's such thing as privacy you know."

"Not when you're around me," Sonic replied, obviously on an ego boost.

"Oh, believe me, I know," taunted Blaze.

The two past by the house, walked through the forest and the back roads, and eventually came onto Shadow and Blaze's hill. Blaze didn't tell Sonic, but this was where many of her memories of Shadow linked back to in someway or another. After all, this was the spot where they confessed their love to each other. This was a hill that they would never forget.

As they sat on the ground, lounging around and talking, the hours seemed to pass by. Before Blaze knew it, the sky was no longer a dark navy, but black. Blaze wondered about the time, and placed it around 1:00 AM or so. For the last few minutes of their chat, she could smell something. Blaze had chosen to ignore it until Sonic suddenly stood up.

"Hey, you smell that Blaze?"

Blaze suddenly felt that feeling she had before in her spine. "Yes Sonic, I had for the last while."

Sonic started to look around, puzzled by the scent. "Man, I know that smell. I just can't place it though."

He turned to Blaze, then to the view of the city, before calmly saying, "Oh, it's just smoke."

"Smoke?" Blaze repeated. She stood beside Sonic and looked down at the city, and sure enough, there was a cloud of smoke rising from the ground.

"Do you think someone's burning something?" Blaze asked.

Sonic shrugged. Blaze continued to stare at the smoke. It was a lot of smoke. The more she looked at it, the more she felt worry weigh in on her. When she turned to Sonic, she nearly jumped back. His wide eyes were staring at the fire with an incredulous look. "That…that couldn't be…" He mumbled.

"Sonic…are you alright? What's going on?"

He turned to Blaze with a grim look on his face. "Blaze, that's a building on fire!"

Blaze felt her heart drop into her stomach. "Oh my god…shouldn't we help?"

"That's not the worse of it though."

Blaze looked at him hurriedly. "What can you tell me that can top a building burning?"

Sonic, his emerald eyes stormier than ever, told her in a shaky voice. "That inferno is Rouge and Shadow's apartment building."

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**How's that for a cliff hanger? Oh yeah, sorry if it's not exciting as you thought it would be. But I'm sure the next chapter will get your blood pumping, no? ;D**

**So, read and review! Oh man, I wonder what's going to happen (Too bad I already got the next chapter done and already know...oh well!).**

**-Kendell  
**


	22. To Burn and Smolder

**Okay, on with the story! And since it's Christmas Eve, you can expect the next chapter probably near New Year's or some time after. This story has about five or six chapters left. So, yeah. This chapter is the big climax. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sonic and Co. And I did not create fire. The cavemen did that. Or so we think....**

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"Sonic! We've got to help! Someone could be hurt!" Blaze hollered, running full speed towards the burning building. Sonic soon caught up with her, as they ran side by side, following the smoke that was engulfing the night air.

The building was blazing in the cool night air. The flames soon busted through the glass, shattering pieces of the clear crystal everywhere. The smoke had become overwhelming for many nearby, forcing them to run for their own safety as the smoke traveled high into the atmosphere.

Sonic screeched to a halt once he saw the apartment building. As Blaze came up beside him, she gasped in horror.

Her mind suddenly flashed back to when she was six years old, when the Palace had burned and crumbled to ruin, killing her mother and father, their screams echoing in her ears. The flames had past over her, letting Gardon to come and save her from choking on the smoke.

"_Everything's alright Missy…" Gardon had said to her as the Palace burned. "I won't let anything hurt you…"_

Feeling the tears well up in her eyes, she screamed, "Somebody! Please! Help them! _Please!_"

Grabbing her shoulders, Sonic faced her. "Calm down Blaze! I'll go alert the fire department! They should've been here by now!"

As he ran down the street, Blaze heard voices nearby. Running towards them, she found a group of people, obviously had escaping the fire.

"Thank god you're here!" A bear cried, holding onto her weeping child. "Everyone has been evacuated safely! It…it was so sudden though!"

"Are you absolutely sure everyone's safe?!" Blaze yelled over the noise. The bear nodded, holding her child even closer. "We need ambulances though. Some people have breathed in too much smoke. Others have injuries! Why isn't any help nearby?!"

Hearing a few others yell, her golden eyes widened to see Shadow lying limp on the ground, Blaze ran over to see a small crowd peering over him.

A deer stood before them. "He needs to get to a hospital! He's breathed in too much carbon dioxide!"

Blaze crouched beside his head and put her ear to his muzzle. He was still breathing. Silently thanking the gods, Blaze wiped some of the soot off his face. She would be heartbroken if he was seriously injured.

_Everything's happening so fast…what's going on? What can I do?_

Before she could think the situation over, the deer then ran up to Blaze. "Something's wrong! We're missing one!"

Something in the back of her mind made Blaze's stomach twist in knots. "What?!"

Then Blaze remembered something. She hadn't seen Rouge. She surely would have went up to Blaze and told her what was happening.

All of a sudden, Blaze and the others heard a small scream come from the burning building.

_No…please…no. Rouge is trapped inside!_

Screaming her name, Blaze tried to take off into the raging fire but was held back the others.

"You can't chase her! You could get killed!"

"Leave the fire department to the fire. They will save her!"

Blaze darted her eyes towards the empty parking lot. There was no sign of them yet.

_It will take too long…it will take too long…_

Ripping her arms out of their grip, Blaze ran into the building, voices yelling for her to come back. Blaze simply ignored them, and climbed up the stairs and into the blaze.

Slamming her shoulder into the door, she managed to get Rouge's old apartment door open again. Flames surrounded her as she darted in all directions, trying to find Rouge.

"Rouge! Rouge!" Blaze screamed, over the sound of crackling ashes and wood. Hearing a snap, she looked to her left to see some of the roof collapse in, a loud shriek coming from the shadows.

"_Rouge!"_ Jumping over fallen boards, she tried to make her way through the smoke. Coughing and yelling, Blaze slowly made her way into where the living room used to be. With the roof creaking, the flames kept Blaze from entering the room. Trying to focus her mind, she tried to calm the flames down, but they didn't listen. Instead, her head nearly exploded from trying to concentrate. The smoke had started to get to her, choking on her breath. The flames didn't obey her commands, and continued to burn.

Boards clattered as they smashed onto the floor. The smoke covered the room in a thick fog, blurring Blaze's vision as she paced through the room. All of a sudden, the sounds of sirens blared into the area, flashing lights of blue and red everywhere. Even in the middle of all the chaos, Blaze heard the blaring sirens come closer. _Finally, they're here._

Hacking up spit and smoke from her lungs, Blaze stumbled, nearly falling to the fire. Using her fists, she smashed the boards in her way, letting her enter Rouge's room. Rouge's limp body laid on the floor, smoke hovering over her. Her body didn't even twitch as Blaze got a tight grip around her.

Shaking, Blaze picked up Rouge and threw her over her shoulder. More of the roof collapsed through, causing the smoke to rise up. Her eyes burning because of the smoke, Blaze squeezed her eyes shut, aimlessly praying that they would make it out alive…that an opening would come for them to escape.

Her prayers were answered.

Part of the wall crumbled, falling to the floor as the moonlight shown through. Squinting, she followed the light, barely keeping from falling. A fireman stood outside, calling their names, motioning for them to come forward.

Forcing herself to stay upright, she stumbled toward him, handing over Rouge into the dog's grip as he passed her back to another fireman.

"Quick, give me your hand!" The fireman yelled over the noise. As she reached for the dog's hand, a sudden crack made her look up. More of the roof was crumbling in. Trying to avoid getting crushed by the falling debris, Blaze backed up as fast she can. The roof came down immediately, closing off the opening and sending Blaze back into the burning inferno. Taking one step too far back, her foot went through the floor boards, causing her to shriek in fear. Sweating, Blaze used her small amount of energy left to try to pry her foot loose. No matter how hard she tried, her foot didn't budge. She was trapped.

The flames grew stronger and became hot. She could feel the fire starting to burn at her fur. Gritting her teeth, she gave up trying to escape. Her aching muscles suddenly relaxed as she let herself drop to the burning floor, her foot twisting in the wooden boards.

Another loud snap made Blaze's ears twitch. Not a trace of hope left in her eyes, Blaze forced herself to look up as the final part of the roofing caved in, the debris smashing against her back with a sickening crack.

A screech of agony came from the building, sending fear and despair up everyone's spines.

"What the hell?!" Sonic yelled. He ran over to the firemen, who were all trying to figure out how to get back into the slowly collapsing building.

"Is someone still in there?" Sonic yelled at one of them. The dog had a panicked expression on his face, and answered, "Yes, some one went in there. She got stuck inside before we could get her out!"

_Oh dear god…no…please tell me it isn't…_

Another painful screech came from inside the burning building. Sonic's ears suddenly stood up, twitching at the horrifying sound.

His green eyes widening, Sonic charged into the building, leaving the other's warnings behind him. He knew Blaze was in trouble, serious trouble.

Using his spin dash, he smashed through the wall and into the inferno. His eyes quickly darting back and forth, he made his way through the crumbling debris, desperately searching for Blaze. Entering a room near the back, he noticed a motionless lump surrounding by flames, pinned beneath boards. With all his might, Sonic broke through them, and nearly jumped at the sight of Blaze…her fur all burnt and black with ash. Sonic forced himself to not focus on her injuries, and gallantly swooped up Blaze off the ground, her foot finally coming loose. With one quick turn, Sonic darted straight out into the air, gasping from the smoke.

Forcing himself to turn his head, he spotted and gagged in utter horror at the sight of Blaze. She laid twisted limp in the snow; her fur burnt black and red. Her clothes were ripped and covered in ash and pieces and chips of wood from the debris. Numerous cuts covered her muzzle and fur, and Sonic felt himself get weak when he looked to see her ankle swollen and bleeding.

It was too much to handle, he had never seen anything so beaten…so _dead_. Feeling his eyelids slide down, he let himself faint into the soft, white snow.

The screeching of sirens greeted the chaos. Numerous ambulances pulled up along the fire truck. The firefighters continued to try putting out the blaze using their hose. In a matter of minutes, the building completely collapsed to the ground, the flames still reaching high into the night.

A pair of dim, ruby eyes slowly opened. Feeling the bumps underneath him, he realized the ground was moving. Shadow tried to sit up, but a hand pushed him back down.

"Don't strain yourself. You are going to be okay. We are on our away to the hospital."

Shadow looked to see a nurse beside him.

He was going to say something, but he realized there was a mask covering his muzzle and nose. Taking in a deep breath, he felt calmer and relaxed on the stretcher as the ambulance drove through the night, flashing red and blue into the darkness. A stretch of ambulances followed behind them, gone unnoticed to the ebony hedgehog. His body ached with numbing pain as he finally said, "What happened…"

"You will find out everything when you get to the hospital. You better rest."

Shadow suddenly remembered Rouge being stuck in the building. Worry started to burn his throat. "Rouge…is she…?"

The nurse looked at him before saying, "The bat? She'll be fine once we get her to the hospital. Now put your head down."

Shadow obeyed her command. He was too exhausted to argue…too exhausted to think. In a matter of seconds, he drifted back into unconsciousness once again; unaware of the true horror he missed…

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**OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!**

**Let's recap shall we?**

**Shadow and Rouge's apartment caught on fire. Apparently Shadow and the others escaped, but Rouge remained inside. Sonic left to alert the firemen, and Blaze realizes that Rouge is inside the building. Blaze runs inside and saves her, but gets herself trapped just as the roof caves in. Sonic goes in after her, and they both come out just as the whole building collapses. Blaze, Sonic, and Rouge's conditions are unknown, but Shadow will be alright. Isn't he the Ultimate Lifeform? Believe me, he'll live. He's immortal, remember?**

**Read and Review, and have a Very Merry Christmas!  
**

**-Kendell  
**


	23. She's a Fighter

**The next chapter!**

**Wow, I can't believe it, I have ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-SIX REVIEWS?! OH MY GOD! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU GUYS!**

**Thanks for all your support, tips and feedback. I hope this story will continue to your liking until the end. And speaking of ends, this story will be coming to a close very soon. In a way I'm glad, because then I will be able to focus on another story instead of putting all my effort into this. Yet I'm also sad, because then I won't be able to write these characters quite like this ever again and this story and universe will be over. Oh well, all good things must come to an end right?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic and Co. I only own...THIS STOREH BABEHS! GIT ALONG LIL' DOGGIES!**

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The bright fluorescent lights flashed by his eyes as he lay on a stretcher. His mind was completely numb, absorbing nothing but the ceiling flying by him and the low murmur of sounds and voices around him. His ears didn't bother to pick up their words though. They were nothing but a low hum. If it wasn't for his chest rising up and down slowly, he would have assumed he was dead. He didn't care. He couldn't feel it anyway. Even as they picked him up and placed him in a hospital bed, he didn't make a sound. He didn't move. He didn't respond. He just lay there, waiting. He waited until his breathing came easier to him, and for his minor burns to fade away. In a matter of minutes, he improved. He continued to improve until he got his energy back. A quick glance at the clock revealed that it had only been a half hour, and they were releasing him. They might as well. It's not like they would treat an Ultimate Lifeform anyway…

Shadow now sat in the hallway. He groaned in frustration, the benches they had was killing his backside. Were they trying to make sure people experienced some kind of pain or another while they were in the hospital?

If it wasn't for Rouge, he would have left as soon as they released him. Of course, he needed to hear if she was okay. He felt a wave of anxiety wash over him before he put on his hard front. _She'll be alright…_Shadow thought. _She always is…_

He turned to see Sonic come out of a room, giving someone inside a small wave. Sonic began to walk down the hallway when he saw Shadow sitting on a bench. Sonic quickened his pace and took a seat beside the ebony hedgehog.

Shadow was about to ask him why he was in the hospital when he noticed Sonic's legs shaking. He tapped his legs hurriedly, looking up and down the halls, biting his bottom lip so hard it was almost white. Shadow gave him a look. "What's with you?"

Sonic jumped and glanced at Shadow with wide eyes. "Oh, um…hey Shads…"

"I thought I told you not to call me that."

Instead of having a smart reply, Sonic ignored him. Now _that_ puzzled Shadow. "Hey, why are you in here?"

"I got some burns on my arm in the fire. It still stings a bit. I guess I must have fainted from too much smoke when we escaped and all. I'm glad they let me go though. I couldn't stand lying in that bed."

He rambled on, basically about how they wouldn't let him move around at first, but Shadow wasn't listening. He was too focused on what he had said first. "Wait, are you saying you were there, in the fire?"

Sonic turned to him and gave him a small chuckle. "Oh, right, you were out of it during the whole thing weren't you?" Sonic teased, half-heartedly.

Shadow felt a flare of anger. "What the hell do you mean? I saw enough of it. What happened to Rouge?"

Sonic was about to answer him, but suddenly stared at him with realization. "Wait…then you don't know about…"

Shadow began to get impatient. "What, what? Tell me what happened! What's wrong with you?"

Taking a deep breath, Sonic began, "Okay, me and Blaze were standing on the hill that overlooks the city, just talking and chatting and stuff…"

When Sonic finished, Shadow was staring down at the ground, hunched over, as if trying to catch his breath. "Shadow, are you…?"

"So what you're saying is Blaze is hurt."

"Well, sort of, but I…"

Shadow finally exploded. "Why didn't you stop her?"

The two stood up and faced each other, Shadow ready to kill him. His eyes were shaking with anger and he could feel chills slowly crawl up his spine.

"Stop her? I was gone trying to get the fire department when she ran in!"

"Why didn't you try and help her sooner?! Or did you just want to look like a big hero and waited until she started screaming?"

"What the hell are you trying to say?! I would never do that to Blaze, or anyone else! Don't you think I feel guilty enough I couldn't help her anymore than just getting her out of there?"

Shadow was about to scream something but stopped himself. He let himself slump back onto the bench. "God, why did she do that?"

Sonic sat beside him, staring at the wall. "Hey, Rouge would've died if it wasn't for her. Blaze saved a life."

Shadow glanced over at Sonic and sighed. There was no sense getting all worked up at Sonic. Really, how could Shadow blame him? If anyone was to blame it was Blaze. Shadow felt himself become furious at her. For running inside that burning building even though she knew it could kill her. _Why did she do that? Why? Why? Why? WHY?!_

The two sat there in silence until a doctor strolled by and asked why they were still waiting around. They finally informed him about what was going on, and the doctor frowned.

"There will be no visitors for those two right now. It's the middle of the night, and it has been a long enough one as it is. Now, go home, both of you. Get a good rest, have a meal, and come back during the afternoon. Besides, it's not like they would be awake anyway."

The two hedgehogs were too exhausted to argue. They walked out slowly, side by side, into the cold air. It suddenly dawned on Shadow that he didn't have a place to stay. He didn't have a home. He had no money for a hotel. He was out on the streets.

"Well, this is just a merry fuckin' Christmas." Shadow muttered. "I'm out in the streets. My best friend is in the hospital. I have no idea what's going on with Blaze. You're suddenly a sad sack. What's next, my fur turning pink?"

"Hey, Shadow, if you and Rouge need a place to stay, you're welcome at our house. At least until you find a hotel or a new apartment to stay in," Sonic offered. "I mean, I know you would definitely not do it for me, but what the heck, its Christmas right? Unless you would rather enjoy the comfort of a snow bank…"

Shadow swore under his breath before giving in. "Alright, fine." The two continued to walk back until Shadow said, "Hey Sonic…"

"Yeah,"

"Um…thanks," Shadow said, striding ahead of him.

Satisfied, Sonic laughed and replied, "No problem bro."

"Don't call me that, or _you_ will be sleeping in a snow bank…"

**Later, during the day…**

It was bright and early that afternoon. After a solid hour of arguing and explaining, Sonic finally got through to Tails that he couldn't tag along with him and Shadow to the hospital. Tails didn't need to see Blaze in that kind of way. If he did, well, Sonic had no idea how he would handle it. Tails couldn't handle anything heavy, something like this. Shadow was starting to get peeved. He wanted to get to the hospital as soon as possible, but he felt like he needed someone with him to get through that front door, even if it was Sonic. Finally, they were able to leave.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Tails dashed under the Christmas tree, searching for the present he needed. Finally, he found it.

_To Tails,_

_Merry Christmas!_

_Love, Blaze the cat_

Tails ripped through the wrapping paper and found a toy robot staring back at him. Its arms reached out towards him, as if saying, "Hug me, hold me, or do something with me!"

Tails never opened presents before Christmas, except for one on Christmas Eve. But he didn't care if Sonic got angry at him for doing it. Tails hugged the toy closed to his chest, and started to sob. He was so scared, so frightened. He knew why Sonic wouldn't let him see them. They would be hurt. He wouldn't be able to handle it. He wouldn't be able to watch them strain in pain or show off their burns without crying. His blue eyes filled with tears, he lay against the cold floor, letting it all out before the two would be back. He wouldn't let them see him cry. Tails would remain the innocent, happy-go-lucky, two-tailed fox he always was. He cuddled the little robot, and didn't cry some more…

**Meanwhile, at the hospital…**

Shadow and Sonic were able to see Rouge with ease. She sat up in bed, flipping through the pages of a magazine before noticing them at all. When she did, she tossed the magazine aside and smiled. "Well, hello there strangers, how are you?"

"I think that's what we should be asking you," Sonic teased. He pulled up a chair and sat at Rouge's bedside while Shadow took a seat at the edge of the bed.

Rouge's smile faded and she looked to them nervously. "So," she started. "How is she, Blaze?"

Sonic turned to Shadow and sighed, "We don't know. We came to see you first so…"

Rouge seemed unsatisfied with his answer but continued. "There was a mob of reporters here awhile ago. I think they were trying to get some info. I didn't tell them anything. Those selfish, greedy…" She began to curse but stopped herself. "Well, they will surely have something out tomorrow about the fire. I wonder if it will mention anything about Blaze…"

"Oh, she'll be fine," Sonic assured her. Shadow didn't say anything, but he was rather skeptical.

"It's just that…well…I feel so guilty. If it wasn't for me, she wouldn't be hurt. She would have been okay."

"Hey, if it wasn't for Blaze, you would have been dead!" Sonic stated.

Rouge's ears drooped and she choked down a sob. "I was so scared. I hate fire, I absolutely hate it! So when I woke up and saw smoke everywhere…well…I remember my legs going weak. Blaze was stupid to go in after me. I could've saved myself."

Shadow glared at her. "You were knocked out from what I heard. There's no way you would've made it out. Alive, that is."

"Oh, I know. I just feel so guilty. Think about how you would feel to know that your friend went into a burning building just to save you and ended up needing to be saved herself. God, things have certainly turned for the worst."

"You're kidding," Shadow muttered in a sarcastic tone. "So, when are you being released?"

Rouge shrugged. "They think I'm doing fine, so probably tomorrow. Wait, I just realized that we have no place to stay!"

Sonic and Shadow rolled their eyes. Clearing his throat, Sonic told her just where her new home was.

Once their visit was over, Rouge waved goodbye and went back to reading. The two hedgehogs made their way down the hall and to the right, finally making it to Blaze's room.

Blaze was in critical condition, which meant no visitors allowed, except for immediate family. Of course, the two were determined to see her, and ended up arguing with Blaze's nurse. The nurse finally told them to wait outside and she headed into the room. When she came out, she asked, "What are your names?"

They told her their names and the nurse gave them a nod. "You can head in. She's been asking for you too. Oh, and by the way, do you know a Silver?"

Shadow felt a twinge of anxiousness. "No, why?"

"No reason. She's been asking for him too. I just wanted to know if he was a friend of yours." The nurse walked down the hall, leaving the door open for them to head in.

Before he stepped inside the room, he felt as if he had been punched in the gut. _Silver…wasn't he her best friend? Didn't she think he was dead?_ The last few words of his thoughts made his eyes go wide, but he shook it off and headed into the room with Sonic.

Blaze was in her own room, flat on a bed, covered with white crisp sheets. She was hooked up to a machine and black and red burns covered all of her right arm, all the way to her shoulder. Her jewelry and clothes were gone, replaced with a hospital gown and bandages.

When they stepped to her bedside, Shadow noticed more details, ones he wished he didn't see. Her fur was charred and matted in some places, and her face was covered in a cold sweat. There were numerous bruises covering her body, oozing with infection and scabs. Her hair was tangled and messy, free from its usual ponytail. The worst thing Shadow noticed was that her eyes were different. They weren't burning with that cold, intense energy that usually glowed from them. Instead, her eyes were dead, like a candle without its flame. A fire that had no remains, no embers, no smoke, nothing. It was gone, and because of that, Shadow was scared. For the first time in a long time, Shadow was really scared.

"Hey Blaze," Sonic cooed. "How are they treating you? How are you feeling?"

"I'm…I'm…" She didn't really know what to say; even a few words wore her out. "I'm pretty bad off."

Sonic felt as if she had slapped him across the face. He really didn't need to ponder that. "You just need to do a bit of healing. Don't worry, you'll be up and back on your feet before you know it."

Blaze glared at him for a few seconds, before saying, "I'm paralyzed. I'll never walk again, _ever_."

Shadow was about to punch Sonic until he thought over what Blaze said. _Paralyzed…never walk again…_ _"_What is that supposed to mean?"

"I can't feel…my back," Blaze started. "Only sometimes, and when I do…it hurts…a lot." She suddenly had a rush of pain and gasped.

"Blaze!" Shadow hollered, running to her side. "What's wrong?!"

She squeezed her eyes shut and then opened them, exhaling slowly. "Just a pain…it's gone."

Sonic stayed unusually silent. He kept picturing the night before. He finally remembered part of the roof falling, trapping someone inside, and then hearing Blaze's screams.

"How…how did you get paralyzed?" Sonic asked, making sure to keep his voice stable.

Blaze paused for a moment before saying, "A piece of wood fell onto my back and broke my spine. I can't feel anything below my waist…it's just…numb…" She started to sob as tears poured down her face. "They say that I can't even use crutches, and they didn't tell me, but they don't have to. I'm going to die. I know it. I can feel it myself and I –"

"Sonic, go get me a drink," Shadow ordered, cutting Blaze off. "Now…"

Sonic knew he was in a dangerous mood and knew wisely not to go against him. His eyes filling with tears, he mumbled, "Okay Shadow" before running out the door hurriedly.

Shadow stood up and closed the door, then walked over to Blaze. "That was a damn lie. You aren't dying. You wouldn't dare go like this."

"Yes, yes I easily could."

"Damn it, Blaze, aren't you a pyrokinetic? I thought you could control fire."

Blaze became frustrated and started to raise her voice. "There was too much, it was too strong. I didn't know what to do so I-"

"So you what, just flung yourself in a burning building thinking you would come out okay? What the hell is wrong with you?!" When she stayed quiet, he continued. "You're stupid you know that? I'm stupid too, for thinking you could handle anything that came. You're nothing like me! I would fight this, but the way you're talking, it sounds like you have already given up. Well, fuck you!"

Shadow looked away from her, slamming his fist against the wall. He suddenly felt his eyes sting and felt his legs go weak. _Dammit…I'm crying, why am I crying? I never cry so why now?_

"Get out."

Shadow heard the hostility in her voice and jerked his head around, facing her. "What?"

"Get out, if you're just here to tell me how I messed up and how stupid am I you might as well leave."

Shadow's ears drooped, his heart plummeting when he felt a wave of guiltiness brush over him. "Blaze, look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Oh, so what, I'm supposed to take your apology after you go off swearing and cursing me out? Shadow the hedgehog, you go around thinking everyone will overlook whatever you do just because you've been through a hard time. Well I don't care if you get on your knees and beg. Leave this room immediately, Shadow, and take that temper of yours with you before I get a nurse to-" Her voice broke off into a high pitch and her eyes rolled back and closed shut, her head falling against the pillow with a small _thump_.

"Wait, Blaze, Blaze!" Shadow was about to shake her arm when a nurse came in, Sonic following soon after.

As soon as Sonic saw Blaze, he cried, "Is she alright?"

The nurse quickly checked Blaze and sighed. "She's fine, but she's out like a light. This hasn't been the first time she over-exerted herself. She passed out twice already since she's been admitted."

Shadow felt like banging his head against the wall and crying. _This is all my fault_, Shadow thought. _If only I didn't freak out like that. _

"You boys need to leave," the nurse told them, and they didn't bother try and argue. Shadow left quickly, but Sonic lingered for a moment. As soon as Shadow was gone, he took out what he had really gotten, a huge, fluffy teddy bear, and placed it on Blaze's bedside.

"Tell her it's from Sonic and Tails and everyone else," Sonic told the nurse. She nodded and he left the room, running to catch up with faker.

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**Touchy, touchy. These people are SO dramatic, like, god! -snaps gum- Like, fo' serious!**

**Anyways, things, um, aren't going to good. But, miracles do happen! :D I LIKE MIRACLES...AND SHINY THINGS!**

**-Kendell**

**P.S. Newest favorite quote: 'Well, this is just a Merry Fucking Christmas...' -Shadow the Hedgehog, TNUF  
**


	24. Reconciliations

Sonic walked aimlessly home. Shadow had taken off with the car, and, for some reason, Sonic didn't want to run, so he walked. He walked in a stupor, flinching in and out of a daze. All he could see was a flash of Blaze back in the hospital bed, her eyes shut and her fur covered in infection and burns. He shivered, and this time, he was sure it wasn't the winter cold.

When he got home, he was surprised to see Knuckles and Amy with Tails. As soon as Amy caught sight off Sonic, she immediately jumped up and ran towards him. Surprisingly, she didn't wrap him in a tight hug. She just stood before him, her eyes watering.

"How are they? I got home as soon as I heard."

"Uh…" What could he say? "_Rouge is fine, but Blaze looks like she's knocking on death's door. By the way, how's your relatives doing?" _Yeah, right.

"They're okay. Rouge is doing good, but Blaze…well, she's…paralyzed."

Amy gasped and shook her head, slowly. "Dear god..." Behind her, Tails started to shake, letting out a squeak.

Knuckles spoke up from the couch. "What do you mean?"

"She's paralyzed you stupid idiot!" Sonic snapped, his eyes flaring. "What in the hell do you think I mean?!"

The rest stared at him with wide eyes and he couldn't help but feel lousy for yelling. "Sorry Knux, I guess I'm upset."

"Hey, sit down," Knuckles said, patting a seat on the couch beside him and Tails. "Tell us what's going on. We're their friends too."

His eyes stung with tears but Sonic refused to let them flow out. Instead, he forced a smile. "Do you mind if I tell you after I eat? I'm kind of a hungry."

"We don't mind." Tails looked up at him. "We'll visit them tomorrow anyways."

"Rouge is being released tomorrow," Sonic stated.

"So, I guess Rouge is okay?"

"Don't worry Amy, Rouge is fine."

"That bat is always fine," Knuckles muttered. "You couldn't kill that woman with a bullet if you tried."

"I'm sure you have," Sonic replied in a sarcastic tone. He wasn't up for an argument.

Amy clapped her hands together. "We'll see if Rouge will come with us to see Blaze then, tomorrow." She turned to Sonic. "I guess you weren't joking about Blaze being paralyzed huh?"

He shook his head. "No, Amy, but I wish I was. I really do…"

**Later, that night, around 7:30 PM…**

Shadow was driving down a street that seemed endless. He didn't know where he was at, but only knew he was heading north. He could care less about the destination, it was where he came from that scared him.

Blaze…was paralyzed. He still couldn't absorb that. Blaze was sick and paralyzed and in pain and he yelled at her. He screamed at her in anger and wouldn't show her any other emotion. Then, she had passed out. _Why did I do that, _he thought. _Why couldn't I have been like Sonic? Just talk to her and tell her everything would turn out fine, even if that was a lie. Why couldn't I have been normal around her once? Why, why, why, WHY?!_

His eyes had become so blurry from tears that he had to pull over the car onto the side of the road. He didn't let go of the steering wheel, but held it in a tight grip, not wanting to let it go. Finally, he let his arms drop and placed his forehead against the cool leather of the steering wheel. He wanted to punch something. He wanted to destroy something and think about that instead of Blaze. Anything but Blaze.

It took him a few minutes to glance upwards. A few cars flew by, their headlights streaming into the darkness. _Do they know where they're going? Can they help me find out?_

Even if he didn't want to, he let his mind wander back to Blaze. He remembered her rare smile, her burning eyes, her smart remarks, her obedience and resistance, her warmth and coldness, her shyness and boldness. Everything about her fascinated him. It was like she was opaque, yet crystal clear at the same time. How could one person be so contradictory? How can one person have so much positive and negative notions? Shadow had always been able to figure anyone out. People like Sonic and Amy and Rouge and the others were simple to read. Blaze was more like the The Da Vinci Code, hard to figure out, but once you did (which Shadow still thought was impossible), it would be astonishing. To Shadow, Blaze was the eighth wonder of the world.

Then his mind suddenly rushed to Blaze in the hospital. Her odd stillness, the pain in her voice, the burns glaring back at him, and the deadness in her eyes. He felt like screaming. It was like a nightmare he couldn't wake from. He grabbed his forehead in frustration. _Please, wake up! Wake up Shadow! Make yourself wake up! Blaze is okay. Blaze is at Sonic's house. Blaze will be ready to answer the door and kiss me hello. She and Rouge and Amy will meet up somewhere tomorrow. Tails and her will trim the tree with tinsel. Blaze is okay. Blaze isn't in the hospital. Blaze is alright. Blaze is safe._

Suddenly, he let the tears fall out of his crimson eyes. He slammed his fist against the door, crying uncontrollably. "Dammit Blaze!" he hollered, even though no one could hear him. "You fucking liar! You said you could protect yourself!" He paused a minute to catch his breath, even though his voice broke into a sob. "Please, Blaze…"

The stars slowly moved in the sky as Shadow finally let himself cry. He thought he had forgotten to years ago. There were many times where he came close to crying, but the salty tears would just build up in eyes. He would never left them fall. Taking a deep breath, he felt better, like a weight had been lifted off his chest. In fact, he felt proud.

_I can still cry. _

He chuckled softly. Here was Blaze, his girlfriend, and she had made him cry. He began to smile before realization struck him.

_She made me cry. She made cry…she made me feel. I cried because I was scared of losing her. I wanted to spend my life with her._

His eyes widened.

_She made me plan for the future…_

"She made me care about my future," he whispered to himself. "I gotta get back to the hospital!" In a swift movement, he grabbed the clutch, reversed, and drove down the road at full speed, the tires squealing behind him. He didn't care. All he knew is that he had to get back to that hospital. He had to see Blaze, before it was too late…

**At the hospital…**

The nurse didn't bother to try and stop him when he stopped outside Blaze's door. She gave him a look over before saying, "Listen, you can see her, but don't disturb the others in the next room over. Got it?"

"Yeah, right." He really wasn't paying attention.

The nurse rolled her eyes and let him inside, heading off to run a few errands.

The room was silent inside as Shadow entered. He closed the door behind, and cautiously walked over to Blaze's bedside. The curtains were drawn shut and the only light on was the table lamp beside her.

Blaze blinked open her eyes**. **When she tilted her head towards Shadow's direction, her eyes grew wide. "Shadow…?"

"Oh, Blaze, I'm sorry." He grabbed her hand in a tight grip. "Please, you gotta forgive me. I…I don't know why I did what I did…I was frustrated…please-"

She cut him off. "Shadow," she whispered. "It's alright. I know you didn't mean what you said."

His fingers intertwined with hers. "Rouge and Sonic are worried about you. I bet the others are too."

"I know, they sent me a teddy bear."

Shadow looked over to see a huge teddy bear at Blaze's feet, its chocolate brown eyes staring at Blaze. He tried to think of something to say, but couldn't.

"You know," Blaze started. "There's no saving me."

Shadow looked at her with wide eyes, and her face remained calm.

"So don't even bother to try."

"Wha-" He didn't bother try and finish what he was going to say. He looked around the room, trying to relax. "Blaze, you're scaring me."

"I'm scared too…"

"Then stop saying such bull!" he shouted. "It's hard enough watching you act like this, but when you start going on I…" He paused. "I don't know."

He turned his back on her, ashamed about being so confused. Blaze had enough on her mind, and he wanted to stay strong for her, to let her know he could protect her and control himself around her. So far, it wasn't working out.

"Shadow, come here."

Shadow turned towards her slowly before pulling a chair to her bedside, his eyes reflecting in hers.

"I love you."

Shadow felt his heart shatter. He leaned over and planted his lips to her, letting the tears slide off his muzzle.

"I love you too."

Carefully, Shadow slid into the bed with her, laying on his side so that he faced her. He buried his muzzle into the crook of her neck, which, luckily, hadn't been burned in the fire. He didn't wrap his arms around her, mainly because he was scared to hold her broken back, but being beside her satisfied him. She was warm, not as warm as she should be, but he could feel the flames still burning within her. He felt a rush of hope. Now, if only she could get her eyes to burn again...


	25. Thank You, Amy Rose

**I LIIIIIIIVVVVVVVVEEEEEE!**

**Did you miss me? I'm back everybody! Glad to BE back!**

**As for the story, I hope, fellow readers and reviewers, that you didn't think I gave up on this story. Like I said many times before, I hate it when I read a story and see the writer has abandoned it. I don't want to do that to this story, as it was a huge project for me and since I had a lot of support. If it wasn't for the kind reviews of all of you, I think I would have given up this story a long time ago.**

**Speaking of reviews...I HAVE 200?! ! I feel...so...awesome! :D Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!**

**Also, I forgot all about leaving my little Author's Notes in the last chapter...hmm...oh well! On with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I'M STILL ALIVE!**

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Shadow cut through the darkness, making his way to Sonic's house. The only thing he seemed to focus on was his breath, clear in the bitter cold. He watched it form a white wispy cloud, before it would fade away. He became fascinated by it.

He slowly raised his hand in front of his muzzle. He breathed in quickly, feeling the chill of the air sting his tongue, before blowing the air out. The white puff hit his hand, stilled for a second, and then dispersed.

Gone.

Shadow's thoughts were never bright. He wasn't like Amy Rose, whose mind was one-tracked in such things as pink ponies throwing up rainbows and singing flowers, he despised the very thought of what went on in the girl's mind. His thoughts were more logical, as his eyes analyzed every detail possible.

_I've never felt so…empty…_

Shadow rolled his eyes. _Of course, you have. Think of the ARK. Think of the Doctor, Maria…the dreams you used to have of Earth. Think of how they were destroyed. _Yet, none of those could compare to what he felt now.

He had left the hospital only a short time before. The nurse had came in and told him he had to leave. Shadow glared at the nurse and was ready to tell the nurse off when Blaze stopped him, telling him that it would be better if he left and got a good night's rest. Shadow didn't argue against her, and solemnly left the room.

But now, as he looked up to the night sky, he wished that he had persisted. He had left her all alone in that empty room. Even when he fell asleep beside Blaze, feeling her heartbeat and watching her chest slowly rise and fall, there was still that uncertainty between them. Nothing seemed secure to Shadow anymore.

He looked at his reflection as he walked past a store window. Shadow the Hedgehog wasn't there. He wasn't staring back at him, like he should be. All Shadow saw was a pathetic looking hedgehog, with his ears drooped, his hands stuffed in his pockets, and an unfamiliar look in his eyes. They weren't so frozen. They didn't look so hard and cold. They looked…sad. With a heavy sigh, Shadow turned away from his reflection and dragged himself up the street.

**---**

Reaching Sonic's house, Shadow noticed the plastic Santa that he and Blaze had put there. Her face seemed etched in his mind, laughing quietly as if she didn't want anyone to hear her voice…her melodious voice erupting into clear words and small smiles that were worth seeing.

His anger flared and he kicked the Santa off the step. _Stupid, fat old man! Who the hell goes prowling around and breaking into peoples' houses anyway?!_ Shaking off his sudden fury, he cautiously turned the doorknob and entered the house. Immediately, his heart sank. He could no movements, no talking and cheerful giggles. There was no Christmas music blaring, like it usually was. There was only a stale silence that hung heavily in the air, threatening to crush the house itself.

He kicked off his boots impatiently and entered the living room. Everyone was there, but only one looked in his direction, and that was Sonic, who had been staring out of the window.

Shadow took a deep breath and took a seat on the couch. He fixed his sights on Tails, who sat in the middle of the floor, toying with a small robot. Tails' eyes focused the toy, caressing it gently as if he had it forever.

Curious, he turned to Amy and whispered, "Is the kid…okay?"

Amy looked at Shadow and weakly smiled. "Tails is very upset. He hasn't talked at all."

_That's unusual, _Shadow thought, _the few times I've been around the boy he never shuts up_.

Rouge and Knuckles leaned against each other across from Shadow. They sat together, glaring at the floor. It took Shadow awhile to notice that they were holding hands. He waited for Sonic to say something and embarrass the two.

Nothing was said.

Shadow finally realized that no matter what he created in his mind, it wouldn't make things the way they were before the fire. He had started to assume that everyone would go back to the normal routine, the regular behavior. Shadow scowled to himself, feeling foolish. Why wouldn't they be upset? They were friends with Blaze…they had every right to be emotional.

Amy Rose watched Shadow as he closed his eyes, his breathing becoming shaky. No one else seemed to notice, so she lightly tapped him on the shoulder, checking to see if he was all right.

Shadow's eyes snapped open and flashed to Amy. She looked worried.

"Shadow, I may not know you as a friend…but I know you well enough to know when you're upset."

Shadow glared at her. "I'm fine, Amy. Don't pester me."

Amy shook her head. "Shadow," she said, "it's okay if you feel sad. No one is going to judge you if you let yourself cry."

His ruby eyes widened as she gave him a comforting smile. He noticed her own eyes swelling with tears.

"Everyone feels lost and scared at some point…believe me, Shadow. You don't have to keep up this strong front when we can see you are just as scared as us." Amy patted his hand. "Please, don't isolate yourself…not from us…"

Shadow slowly looked to the floor. In spite of himself, his throat started burning as he watched tiny droplets fall from his eyes. Shadow quickly wiped them away, although tears started to well up in his eyes again. He gave Amy a smile, one she had never saw before.

"Thank you, Amy Rose."

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**Some Amy and Shadow friendship forming here. If anyone remembers Sonic Adventure 2, you would remember when Amy helps trigger Shadow's real memories about Maria and shows him that he has to help save the Earth. I guess I just sort of liked the mood they created and wanted to bring some of that into the story, so I wrote this chapter. I hope you don't read this and think: Filler. I actually think I HAD to write this, to help it flow a lot more and to show some comfort in this rescue-mission-gone-wrong ordeal.**

**Anyways, read and review.**

**-Kendell**

**P.S. I'M NOT DEAD! 8D  
**


	26. Gone

**Hello, all you beautiful people! I got inspiration pumping through my veins, so I am typing even quicker!**

**So, welcome to the next chapter!**

**Er...I was going to explain this chapter a bit, but, just read it!**

**Disclaimer: You and me baby ain't nothin' but mammals, so let's do it like they like do on the Discovery Channel...Sonic's new theme song :P**

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_Sometimes, I would feel regretful. I'd easily regret things I have done._

_I've felt useless._

_I've felt pain…loss…happiness…_

_I've felt a lot of things._

_One of the strongest things I have ever felt was love._

_There were so many that loved me, that cared so much for me, that I took it for granted. I saw them in a different light. I saw them as dangerous and unknown. They weren't people I could trust. I convinced myself I didn't need their help._

_I did._

_And they helped me. They helped me with so many things…things I didn't even know I needed to be saved from._

_Because of that, I didn't want to leave. Yet, I didn't want to stay. I was so torn between the two places that the situation became unique. I had planned to go back. The second I had a chance, I would've left. Then again, I've been wrong before. Maybe I would have stayed. Especially for him._

_I never thought I would go thinking like this. I always thought that it was suppose to be peaceful and quick…but I feel like I've been walking forever. I'm so tired…and all of this thinking…it's adding to the load._

_It's so dark. I can barely see a thing._

_I wish I could just go home. I miss all of them already. _

_I'm sick of all this. I just want it to be over…_

_Wait, is that a light? _

_It's getting closer, and brighter._

_I…I feel…warmth. It's the wind, I think._

_The air…it smells so fresh…and the wind is so warm. It reminds me of summer._

_Could it be? It is! There is grass underneath my feet. It feels wet…but I like it…I can't believe it! I thought…the doctors said I would never walk again. I was too far gone…a loss cause. They were wrong. I can walk. Right now, I feel like I can fly._

_I-I'm healed. There's no scars from that horrible incident anymore. My fur is already growing back…I…I'm so happy…_

_Ugh, I can't believe it. I'm so damn happy and yet I cry. I can be such a hypocrite sometimes._

_My feet are moving. I'm running. I don't have the slightest idea where I am or where I am going. For the first time, I don't care. All I know is that I have to run –I need to._

_I can hear church bells ringing._

_There are guns going off in the distance._

_Those sounds…they are trying to tell me something, although I think I know what they are saying. I've already realized where I am…I just don't want to hear myself say it. I still can't say it._

_It's…it's time now. I think I'm ready. The numbness is running up my body. I feel myself twist and twirl through the air, kicking up blades of green grass as I fall, before I am lying on my back, feeling the damp grass prickle my fur. There are tears stinging in my eyes. I do not bother to wipe them away. They feel so real…they are the only things I can feel now._

_Everything is getting brighter._

_The wind: it's up heaving…_

_My eyes are starting to close over…yet it's still bright…everything to turning into white…yet I can still see everything in color._

_I take a deep breath. In…and then out. My chest stills._

_The wind stops._

_The colors fade._

_And just like the church bells, the guns I can't hear anymore…_

…_I'm gone._

---

Shadow's bedroom door opened with a low creak. At first, it hadn't stirred him, but the light was bright in his dark room. Shadow noticed the light streaming in. Irritated, he sat up with weary eyes, kicking off the bed sheets, before noticing the silhouette in the doorframe.

"Shadow…" Rouge said, her voice hoarse. Shadow watched as she took a few steps closer to his bed. Upon looking at her up-close, his eyes grew wide with shock.

There was mascara running down her muzzle, coloring the tears that slid down her face. Rouge's shoulders were shaking and her hands tightly grasped them, as if to try and calm them. There were chokes and sobs escaping through her throat, as she tried to speak.

"T-the hospital just called."

Shadow's heart stopped. _Please…please don't say it…_

Rouge finally collapsed and choked out, "_She's dead, Shadow_." As soon as the words escaped her mouth, Shadow froze. He tried to recover from the shock, but all he could do was shake his head wordlessly. His mouth tried to form words, so he could say something…_anything_ at all, but his mind went blank.

Shadow quickly became overwhelmed. He couldn't process his thoughts. He couldn't move. His mouth ran dry, and he couldn't hear himself breathe. If there had been an explosion right behind him, he wouldn't have noticed. Shadow finally found his voice, but all he could say was, "What?"

Rouge had no answer. In the absence of sound, Shadow fell to disbelief.

Noticing his dark expression, Rouge reached for his hand, but he jerked it away. Shadow stood up, turning his back to her. "Shadow?"

"You're lying…"

Rouge's eyes narrowed. "What?!"

Shadow whirled around and gripped her shoulders, digging his fingers into her skin. Rouge gasped in shock as her eyes reflected in his. His eyes were glowing with hate, and Rouge suddenly felt scared of the ebony hedgehog. She realized she had never saw Shadow like this. She saw him at some of his worst, but nothing compared to the emotion dancing dangerously in his eyes now. "You're lying! You're making this all up!"

"Shadow, stop it!" Rouge yelled. "You're hurting me!"

His eyes softened before they turned bitter once again. Shadow shoved her out of his grasp and ran out the door. He knew where he had to go.

Rouge walked out into the kitchen, staring out the ajar door. She could feel the winter breeze blow past her, scattering white flakes of snow into the house. Rouge reached out and slowly closed the door with a soft _click_. She could feel the sobs bubbling in her chest as she turned away from the door, letting her back slide down the door until she fell to her knees, crying.

_How am I going to tell the others_, she thought to herself, wiping away a few stray tears with her hand. Sonic and Tails had left to meet up with Amy and Knuckles to go listen to the carolers, who were singing at the mall. They wouldn't be back for hours.

Unconsciously, Rouge stood up and opened the door, stepping out into the snow. She looked up into the sky, searching for her friend. She would have to get through it, at least to bring some peace to herself. Rouge continued searching the endless sea of blue, knowing she would never find her.

But...even though she couldn't see her, she could feel her. Rouge gave into a smile, forcing the chill out of her fur as she gave the sky a last look-over.

_Merry Christmas, Blaze…and goodbye._

_

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_

**Blaze is dead :( Not a good turn of events...**

**If you guys know anything about English, you would know what the sound of church bells and guns means. **

**Church Bells signal death/funerals**

**Gun shots signal war, which leads to death**

**Oh, and the person at the first, that's Blaze as she's dying.**

**Anyway, there is still a few chapters left. Keep on reading people!**

**-Kendell  
**


	27. Seeing You Everywhere, Yet Nowhere

**Another update!...after a very long wait.**

**Right now, I'm trying to write for this story and my Outsiders story: "The Forgotten Ones" as fast as I can. It took me awhile to piece this chapter together, but I'm happy with it and tried my best :) This is the third chapter I've posted recently, the other two being for TFO, so I'm slowly getting back into my updating groove. With exams and the end of the school year coming up, I'm trying to squeeze in all the writing I can.**

**So, I hope this chapter is to your liking :)**

**Disclaimer: Sonic and Co. do not belong to me simply because...I don't.**

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Shadow ran full-speed, not bothering to use his rocket shoes. He didn't need them. The only thing he needed to see was Blaze.

He could have hit Rouge. It was probably Sonic's idea, and he probably came up with the whole joke, so he could, as if he put it, "lighten the tension," but to Shadow, it was a joke worthy of the death penalty.

And he would make sure he gave Sonic just that once this was all said and done.

Shadow flung open the emergency entrance doors and didn't slow down. He weaved his way through the crowd. If he could have seen his reflection, he would have realized his expression wasn't angry or stone-faced. It looked desperate and heartbroken. If he could've saw his reflection, he wouldn't have to go through what he was about to.

But Shadow could never do anything the easy way.

He finally found Blaze's room and stood in the door-frame, stopping dead. She wasn't there.

She was gone.

The crisp, white sheets were made up, the pillow was fluffed, and the equipment was placed away from the bed, including Blaze's back brace.

His hands shaking and his crimson eyes wide, he slowly made his way so he stood at the side of the bed. Daring to touch the sheets, he ran his hand over the bed, his mind suddenly flashing to when the bed was occupied by a young cat with lavender fur and unreadable eyes; the very same girl that haunted his thoughts, as he re-imagined her screams as she slowly burned in the fire.

Suddenly, he remembered the lavender cat smiling at him. He remembered her stories, all the awkward and comfortable silences, their trips through the snow, their tree, their hurt, their hill, their dance, their road-trip, their kiss…

…and every little moment in-between .

Even though he was picturing all the good moments they had, his voice broke and he started hollering her name, turning violent as he shoved a table over, ripped the sheets off the bed and threw vases filled with flowers at the wall, the contents spilling onto the floor.

The medical staff could only watch through the door-frame as Shadow met their eyes. He curled his fingers into tight fists when he suddenly heard a familiar voice.

"Stop it, Shadow."

He whirled around to see Blaze standing behind him. Her burns were gone, she wore her normal clothes, and was standing so she was in the frame of the window. Her arms were crossed and she looked rather annoyed. "You're causing such a scene…"

Shadow narrowed his eyes in an attempt to halt the tears that welled up in his crimson eyes. When they began to fall, he darted over to the window in a flash and smashed his fists through the glass, ignoring the immense pain running through his knuckles as he could feel blood drip through the dark fur on his arms.

When he tried to step away from the window, he noticed the room began to slowly spin. Everything became distorted and twisted. Shadow started to fall to the ground. The last thing he saw as he descended backwards was Blaze walking past him, smiling.

His head came in contact with the unforgiving floor...

...and everything went black...

Soon enough, Shadow was fully dressed in black, as was everyone else.

Nearly two weeks after her death, Blaze's funeral was held. He was one of the pallbearers, along with Sonic and Knuckles on one side with him, and Espio, Vector, and Rouge on the other. Unlike the mourners who followed slowly behind, the pallbearers' faces were absent of any emotion. They simply kept their heads up and kept walking forward. They carried the coffin out of the church when the service was over and her body was given the final blessing.

With the machine fixed, it was possible for many citizens, including Gardon and Marine, to come to the funeral. Not only to Shadow, but to everyone else in the church, seeing Gardon broke their hearts instantly. He looked like he aged thirty years, and he never stopped trembling. Never. Not even when he was given the eulogy, which talked about Blaze as a child, the lost of her parents, and how she never stopped being somewhat of a daughter to him. For Gardon, he had just lost his own child, and as soon as he stopped speaking, he broke down into stops, and had to be escorted back to the front pew by a downcast Amy and Cream.

Shadow's face was emotionless as he, along with the others, carried the coffin up the hill, through the graveyard, and all the way down the path to the crematorium. The rest of the mourners followed them, watching the frosted banks of snow shine and glint as the sun began to set.

Rouge, dressed in a cuffed-sleeved black dress and heels with a set of pearls around her neck, carried the coffin tight to her shoulder as she looked straight ahead. The sky was a soft pink and orange, contrasting the falling, glittering snowflakes, and taking note of the sunset, Rouge suddenly felt her heart drop. _She used to love sunsets,_ Rouge thought reluctantly. _Now all she'll ever see is darkness, and if she's anything like me…she would have saw enough hurt already…_

As Blaze turned to ashes with the crowd dispersing outside, Shadow stared into the heavens and felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked back and saw Blaze standing beside him, her golden eyes dancing with life as they reflected in his own. It was the first time he had seen her since that day in the hospital. He had missed her.

Shadow gazed for a moment up at the crematorium before looking back to Blaze. A sudden gust of wind blew up a storm of snowflakes, and when he blinked, he saw it was Sonic standing beside him smiling, not Blaze.

A stab of pain ran through his chest but he smiled at Sonic anyway. Sonic gave him a comforting nod and a pat on the shoulder before he himself left for the warmth of the church. Shadow stood in his black suit and his red tie out in the cold, and for the first time in a long time. He didn't feel any anger about Blaze's death. It was pointless to hate her for something that would have happened anyway.

The only thing he regretted was her dying at fourteen. If anything, it would have been more reasonable for him to die. He was nearly, biologically speaking, sixty years old, and it would be understandable, if he wasn't cursed with immorality. But, Blaze…she was even younger than Sonic. You just don't die at that age, it wasn't fair, to a person like her.

Rouge came up to Shadow, holding Tails' hand as they walked together. "You'll get frostbite if you stay any longer. Come back with us," Rouge said in an inviting voice.

He shook his head solemnly. "It's not fair, is it?"

Rouge squeezed Tails' hand tighter, looking at Shadow with a grim smile upon her tan muzzle. "It never is."

Shadow couldn't help but stare at the younger fox. Tails only looked at his feet or up at Rouge. Whenever Shadow did get a glimpse of the boy's face, it was clear just how much pain he was in. His blue were teary and all the way to the church he sniffled and gasped through broken sobs. Shadow resisted the urge to tell the boy to suck it up like the rest, but thought against it. The little boy was only eight years old, and since they had to deal with all this through Christmas and New Year's, it was understandable. Deciding to take his own advice, he wiped his eyes and cleared his throat. The three of them entered the church, leaving only footprints in the snow.

In the end, half of her ashes were spread over the coast along the palace, with Gardon and Marine watching them fall into the waves.

The rest of the ashes were spread throughout a certain leafless tree, on a snow-covered hill, before a breeze came and tossed them up into the sky…the ashes disappearing with the growing frost…

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**I like this chapter a lot for some reason.**

**The last chapter/epilogue is coming up soon, so beside them, I'm guess maybe two or three chapters left.**

**IT'S DRAWING TO A CLOSE PEOPLE!**

**Read and review :) And sorry for the wait.  
**

**-Kendell  
**


	28. 24 Years

**Here's a much longer chapter. Another chapter to take your time and read slowly. There's a lot of information thrown in your way, but it's not confusing information, so don't worry. :)**

**I'm REALLY HAPPY WITH THIS CHAPTER! Not only does it express different emotions, but I get to write some humor (THANK GOD!). Hopefully I haven't forgot how to write it and you guys will get a laugh or two out of it.**

**Disclaimer: OH SWEET JESUS TAP-DANCING CHRIST YOU KNOW THE DRILL.**

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"Rouge, not in front of the kids."

"All I'm doing is giving you a kiss…"

"You call _that_ a kiss?"

"Yes!"

"…Well, then, we can kiss…later…"

Rouge gave him a wink and dragged him down onto the velvet couch with her, so they sat beside Shadow. Knuckles tried to regain his cool, but failed horribly.

Sonic held his nine-year-old in his arms, walking across the room and looking out the window. "Wow, I can't get over how huge Blaze's palace is," he said admirably. He let out a whimper of pain when little Nitro gave a sharp tug on his ear.

Shadow stared straight up at the ceiling, which glittered with an amazing assortment of jewels. He remembered Rouge's expression when she looked up and saw it. She nearly fainted.

Sonic and Amy, Tails and Marine, Knuckles and Rouge, Shadow, and Gardon had all gotten together in the Sol Dimension, thinking it was an appropriate time to have a reunion. All of them had hectic lives but they never failed to lose touch - a rather impressive feat.

Shadow, when he caught wind of the reunion, felt his throat burn when he heard of where they were holding it: in Blaze's palace. He had never seen it before, or, for that matter, stepped foot into her home dimension. When they first came into the entrance hall, he remembered many painful things…

…like her death.

It got so bad that Shadow couldn't breathe. The others watched him run out of the palace and onto the beach, staying along the coast. Rouge slowly counted until he got back - his breathing under control. She counted seventy-two minutes.

It had been many years since Blaze's death, or, "the incident," as Amy politely put it. Twenty-four years, to be exact. Life began to move on, even for Shadow, as marriage, children, birthdays and deaths occurred throughout those years.

**Twenty-four years…**

As for the hardships of life, Sonic and Amy had their share. Their romance was slow-burning, until Sonic eventually proposed on a starry, clear night. Amy, dreaming of the moment her whole life, gratefully accepted.

That was why when Amy became pregnant, they were in complete bliss. It was not an easy task for Amy, so, she was ecstatic for months.

Until something went wrong.

Amy, six months pregnant, was induced into labor. Sonic and Amy, sobbing, watched as they cleaned their son off, and was handed to them. Amy had just given birth to a stillborn.

The trauma got too much for Amy, and they had their son buried as soon as possible, naming him Miles, after Tails. The funeral was followed by months of depression for the usually bubbly, happy-go-lucky Amy Rose. It got to the point where Amy began spending hour after hour in the cemetery, keeping Sonic concerned for her well-being.

He helped her through it though, and soon she bounced back into her normal self, smiling and giggling like always. And luckily, two years later, she gave birth to a healthy little boy, Nitro, who had her jade eyes and Sonic's cobalt fur.

Now, Amy, at thirty-six years old, looked much more mature than her twelve-year-old self. Her eyelashes grew thicker and longer, and her figure was much more developed, due to childbirth. Her love for the colors pink and red never died, but her clothes were a lot more conserved and practical. Her hair had gotten wavy, but she kept it short.

Sonic, who was now thirty-nine, was a proud and energetic father. He didn't change much, except for growing a bit taller and more built. His face only aged a tiny bit, but the changes were still noticeable. He still had his signature smirk, amazing the others who had hoped he would have grew out of his ego. Of course, Sonic just had to prove them wrong.

**Twenty-four years…**

Knuckles and Rouge had gotten married themselves, being the first two in the group. Rouge, at forty-two years old, was a mother of three. Her first child wasn't exactly hers though. At the age of twenty, she had formally adopted Tails the Fox as her son, shocking everyone. No one had guessed that Rouge had any maternal instincts, especially Knuckles, but she simply ignored their comments and looked after Tails as if he was her own child.

Everyone agreed that the marriage of Knuckles and Rouge was one of a sitcom, well, a realistic one, at that. Knuckles was always attentive to Rouge, as she was to him, but sometimes their stubbornness just got in the way. It wasn't that rare for them to get into a huge fight but make up in less than an hour. That was just routine. Even after they had two kids of their own.

Their first child, Amethyst, was now fifteen years old. Her fur was a soft red, softer than her fathers, and had his deep amethyst eyes, hence her name. Her dreadlocks curled around her face, and her facial features came from her mother, with a petite black nose, long black lashes and big round eyes. She also had Rouge's ears and tail, so Amethyst was a dead mix of her parents. Rouge and Knuckles frequently argued over she took after more, much to her grief.

Their second child, Locke, was fourteen years old. Much to Rouge's wounded heart, he was the copy of her father, and almost Rouge herself. White fur, small black wings, tan skin, emerald-blue eyes and her father's smile to match. The only things he seemed to inherit from his father was his crooked tail, two large knuckles on either fist, and his personality.

Their life did seem to play out like a sitcom some days, but most days, they were just a family.

**Twenty-four years…**

Tails, at eight years old, started to fancy Marine the Raccoon. Unbeknownst to him, Marine had formed a crush on him since the first day they met. They weren't exactly similar, with Tails being shy, quiet and innocent and Marine being loud-mouthed, lively and a trouble-maker (not on purpose, but she always caused it anyhow), but somehow their crushes turned into a romance once Tails turned sixteen, with him finally telling the then fifteen-year-old Marine his feelings for her. Marine slammed the door, and all Tails could hear were happy (and excruciatingly loud) screams coming from inside the hut. After a minute, there was a sudden silence and the door opened again, with Marine inviting Tails on a date.

Tails had just turned thirty-two, Marine following closely behind at the age of thirty-one. Although she was against having children for their first four years of marriage, she gave in on the fifth and eventually gave birth to a girl, who Tails named Mary-Lou. Marine, in the end, enjoyed having a child and, despite her constant worrying and fretting, turned out to be good mother to the now one-year-old girl.

Tails proved to love being a father, just like Sonic predicted he would. If anyone had changed the most, it would have to be Tails. He had grown to be the height of Sonic, fit and strong. Out of all the men, Tails had grown to be the most handsome, with his boyish young looks and dashing white smile. His blue eyes still twinkled with innocence, much to the relief of Rouge, who thought that growing up would mature Tails to the point where he lost his innocence. He never did, though.

Marine also became rather attractive, even if she didn't have the glamour or elegance of someone like Rouge the Bat. She didn't have much of a figure, as she was rather skinny, but her big bright eyes glowed and her fur was smooth and dark. Her hair was still kept in ponytails, but they were much longer and bushier, losing their "boomerang" look.

Even after so many years and so many changes, they were still happy together.

Truly.

**Twenty-four years…**

For Shadow the Hedgehog though, his life after Blaze did not get off to a good start.

For five years, he used chemicals on himself to end his life. It got to the point where he would pass out in the street or in a snow bank, lying there for hours until someone would stop and help him back to his own apartment. Although the toxic fumes and liquids made him weak and ill - he never found himself on the brink of death. The isolation, the depression, and the chemicals only made him suffer more. Shadow felt trapped.

The chemicals, however, did have one positive effect on Shadow. Somehow, much to his happiness, the cells that made up his genetic code (the same cells that made him immortal) became damaged repeatedly and grew smaller over the years. Seven years after Blaze's death, he was aging physically along with the rest of the gang. He regained his health and found support in the others.

To Shadow, knowing that someday he would grow old and die away was the most comforting feeling in the world. He enjoyed knowing he wouldn't be left alone. He would, one day, be buried like everyone else. Because of this revelation, he began to enjoy people's company a bit more easily.

A bit more, that is. They were still all nuts to him.

Now, twenty-four years later, Shadow was physically thirty-five years old. The only problem Shadow faced was the fact that he was aging biologically faster internally than the others. But, he never told them that. He wasn't concerned about death. He had never been concerned about death when it was about his own fate.

His fate just didn't matter to him. Never did, never would…

**Twenty-four years…in present day…**

"How have all of you been?"

Everyone snapped to attention when they heard Gardon (now appointed ruler of the Sol Kingdom) speak. He gave them a smile, which was readily returned. A sudden chorus of fines, goods and cheerful chatter echoed quietly in the palace.

"That is great to hear!" he boasted, cheerfully. The now elderly Gardon leaned on his wooden walking cane for support, before sitting in a throne before them all. Shadow couldn't help but wonder when was the last time he had company. From the loneliness and extreme pleasure in his eyes, Shadow guessed it had been years.

"Oy, Gardon," Marine suddenly shouted, standing up and punching him hard in the shoulder, "why didn't ya round us up earlier?"

"Why didn't you visit him earlier?" Sonic teased, snickering under his breath. Rouge gave him a sharp slap upside the head.

"Hard to believe you're a grown man and you still can't control your mouth."

"It's hard to control my mouth when I have so many things to say."

Knuckles and Rouge's son, Locke, couldn't help but shout, "Yeah, and half of what you say is complete shi-"

"LOCKE!" his parents screamed in unison.

Locke could hear his sister snick beside him and suddenly felt foolish. "Sorry…"

As soon as he apologized, the room was once again filled with chatter. Amy tried to calm her crying baby she held in her arms. Sonic was arguing with Knuckles, as was Locke and Amethyst. Tails was explaining his relation to Rouge to Marine who kept interrupting with random questions, and, of course, letting Mary Lou roll around on the ground beside her. Shadow rolled his eyes at the rising commotion as he walked over to Gardon. "Bet you're regretting the reunion now, huh?"

"It's always nice to hear something besides silence in the palace," he simply answered. He looked down at his hands. "I think that's how Blaze would have wanted it."

Shadow's eyes widened with realization and empathy. He wished to comfort Gardon, but he couldn't find the right words. Instead, he gave Gardon a gentle pat on the shoulder. Gardon returned his unusually kind gesture with a forced smile.

"Shadow, I know these years have been especially hard on you."

Shadow shrugged, pretending that his past didn't bother him anymore. "I don't try to think about it that much. I just live every day like the others, you know? Try and move on."

Gardon stood up and reached into his pocket, telling Shadow: "Maybe this will help."

Shadow looked down at what he was holding to see a golden key in his hand.

"It's the key to Blaze's bedroom. It's cleaned and dusted everyday. Everything's been kept in the exact place as it was before she left to visit your dimension."

Shadow nodded, feeling a large lump form in his throat. "Thank you. I…I guess I'll go now."

"Take all the time you need."

Shadow turned his back to him and started towards the hall, making sure to keep his eyes from watering.

It took him a few minutes to find his way, but he finally stood outside Blaze's bedroom door. He noticed the fine details of it, how tall and wide it was, with doorknobs of pure gold and the family crest craved into the oak wood.

Trying to keep his hands from shaking, he slowly inserted the golden key into the lock and twisted it to the right. There was a gentle _click_ and he gave himself permission to push open the doors.

One breath.

Two.

He walked into the candle-lit darkness…

**Meanwhile, with the others…**

"OKAY SONIC THAT IS IT!"

"R-Rouge, please, it was only a joke. I swear! OH GOD KNUCKLES HELP ME!"

"Shut up, Sonic, I'm trying to have a staring contest with your son."

"And, might I add, you are about to blink."

"Tails?"

"Yes, Knuckles?"

"Shut up."

Yes, everyone was gladly falling back into their own immature habits. It was chaotic, yes, but the noise was welcomed. Even the servants who busied themselves cleaning and dusting stifled their giggles as they watched a blue hedgehog speed down the halls, with a bat in hot pursuit.

Sonic, using his self-proclaimed "intelligence" managed to slip into a dark corner after running through the many corridors. Holding his breath, he waited for the sound of flapping wings or clicking heels. He was even expecting her feminine voice to shout obscurities at him, such as: "YOU SON OF A BITCH! YOU CAN'T HIDE FOREVER! NO ONE, AND I MEAN _**NO ONE**_ CALLS ME FAT IN A RED DAMN DRESS AND GETS AWAY WITH IT! WHAT'S FUCKING WRONG WITH YOU?"

And that is exactly what he heard echoing through the stone walls. In actuality, it was a wonder how anyone could _not_ hear her threats and curses. It seemed that over the years, Rouge's short temper had calmed. Unless, that said temper was tampered with by a certain cobalt hedgehog.

The others, hearing Rouge's hollering, were torn away from the extremely intense stare-down and looked in the direction the two had gone off. Amy shook her head, before going to the nearest mirror and adjusting her classic red headband. She was already mentally arranging Sonic's funeral.

Rouge rounded the corner, huffing heavily. Her fists were clenched and her ears were pressed flat against her head. Her two children had seen this expression plenty times before, and if they could see their dear mother now, they would run off screaming. Even they didn't wouldn't want to see the beating that was surely going to hurt.

"THERE YOU ARE!"

Sonic let out a girlish squeal before speeding off into the distance, leaving only a trail of flames behind. Too bad Rouge was a persistent woman. (She would have to be, look at who she married.)

Pressed up against the wall in a pose worthy of any horror movie, Sonic panted, not because he was tired, but out of pure fear. His eyes were huge with fright and his heart was threatening to burst right out of his chest. His usual smug attitude had just been crushed to smithereens, and from the rage boiling in Rouge's eyes, his skull was to be crushed next.

_Sheesh, one little pick at her ego and she runs after me like I have a death wish. Why me, god? WHY?_

All he knew was that if Rouge got a hold of him, he would be royally screwed. What happened to normal get-togethers? He suddenly remembered the supposed get-together the crew had at Rouge and Shadow's apartment when he was only fifteen. Flames and chaos threatened to erupt and it seemed that Shadow and Blaze didn't need any formal introductions. The two were at each others' throats, ready to taste blood. Who knew that soon after they would be in _love_? It wasn't a fluffy or cuddly relationship, that's for sure, and it didn't last that long either, due to the circumstances, but it was love none-the-less.

Remembering their relationship, Sonic couldn't help but reflect on his own. They were lucky, they didn't go through what Shadow and Blaze did, especially when he remembered what happened _after_ Blaze's death. The depression, the darkness, it was like a completely different Shadow. One that was tired all the time, never smiled…a Shadow that was just waiting for his death, a death that (at that time) would never come.

But, for Sonic and Amy, their love was more pure…innocent. It ran pretty smoothly, with only a few potholes in the way. Sonic still winced whenever he thought about his dead son. They moved on though, and now they were able to let their son Miles have a little brother, Nitro. He thought he would never settle down. Sonic couldn't see himself as a "family man." But, in the end, he wouldn't trade his life with Amy and Nitro for the world. He could save the world any day, but his family would come first. It had to. Because, you see, Sonic is a noble hedgehog. He stands for justice, love, and all things goo-

"YOU'RE IN DEEP SHIT NOW, FAKER!"

"AGH! ROUGE! HAVE MERCY! **OW! **N-NOT THE FACE!"

A very loud pummeling, complete with screams, pleads, and loud thwacks and thuds, didn't exactly get the sympathy Sonic was hoping for from his fellow comrades. His wife, friends, and even Shadow who was busy reminiscing, simply shook their heads and sighed.

_He never learns, does he? _

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**Pfft, no, he does not.**

**Like I said, loved writing this chapter. The next chapter will be a bit more Shadow focused, but it will won't be too dark or anything. It will have some flashbacks, Shadaze, other couplings, some humor, fluffiness, and a bit of a surprise (maybe, not sure yet).**

**Read and review, because that's what you do, foo'**

**-Kendell  
**


	29. It's All Familiar To Me

**YES! FINALLY! AN UPDATE! :D**

**I doubt anyone even reads this story anymore after such a long wait. I would have had the chapter up sooner, but my laptop crashed and I lost it. But I managed to write it again and, well, here it is! I hope I haven't lost my touch XD**

**So, this chapter basically focuses on Shadow. I feel so bad for him. Sad face. :( There are some flashbacks to previous chapters and other flashbacks in the story, which was probably my favorite part of the chapter. Hopefully you'll like it as well!**

**Note: THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER! Not a lot left (don't I say that in every author's note?) but there is still more to come.  
**

**Disclaimer: SONIC WHIPS HIS SPINES BACK AND FORTH! ...Sorry.**

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Blaze's bedroom had an instant calming effect on Shadow the Hedgehog. His feet took him towards the middle of the room, giving him a better view of what Blaze was like before he met her. His red irises glanced around, absorbing every minuscule detail.

Nearly everything in the room was purple, gold or silver. The room was darker than the others, the only light sources being newly-lit candles and one bay view window overlooking the expansive ocean. All of the furniture was exquisite and rather rich-looking, and Shadow couldn't help but be impressed. She certainly had good taste.

Taking a few breaths, he suddenly detected a pleasant aroma. The smell was fresh. It was noticeable, but not too strong. Spotting a vase of flowers, Shadow decided it was the lavender that gave the room its scent, although a part of him fancied the thought that it was still Blaze's scent lingering in the bedroom. After so many years, it couldn't be possible...

...right?

With a sigh of frustration, Shadow shook his head, trying to clear his mind. That's when he spotted it.

Picture frames.

Sudden curiosity began to bubble inside him, and he couldn't resist taking a look at them. The first picture that caught his eye was of a couple holding a baby. The man had stunning -and oddly familiar—hazel eyes and was dressed in a blue robe that matched his blue fur. The woman who was holding the baby was dark shade of purple, with the same golden eyes to match the man's. She was staring at the baby cat lovingly, the look every mother gives their children. When Shadow looked at the baby, he knew at that moment who he was looking at. It was Blaze...his Blaze...as a baby, surrounded by her mother and father. It was at that moment that he unconsciously held his breath. It was hard to look at the picture any longer - now that he realized that the family in the image was dead.

Now, he was staring at a smaller and more casual snapshot in a small silver frame. Picking it up in his hands so he could examine it closer, he recognized Blaze, who looked only a bit older than she did in the previous photo, and deduced the man that was playing with her was a much younger and carefree Gardon. Even though he was a guy himself, Shadow had to admit that Gardon was quite handsome when he was young. The constant fretting and worrying that he saw on Gardon's face was non-existent. It was replaced with glossy, twinkling eyes and a bright smile as he held Blaze high in the air. Shadow stifled a laugh as he remembered her future fear of heights. A smile formed on his muzzle when his mind drifted back to the winter ball many years ago.

_Blaze's thoughts were interrupted, when she noticed her feet weren't touching the ground anymore. Tightening her grip on Shadow more, Shadow laughed._

_"Shadow! We…we aren't on the…g-ground…anymore…!" Blaze cried, unable to relax with her fear of heights._

_Shadow moved them slowly in the air, twirling in small circles as if they were dancing on frosted clouds. Using his hover shoes, he kept them a few feet off the ground, much to Blaze's surprise._

_"Just trust me Blaze," Shadow muttered. "I won't let you go…"_

_Blaze trusted his words. "I know Shadow…I know…"_

If he had been eighteen, being bombarded with happy memories like that would have thrown Shadow into a sudden rage, with a long depression period afterwards. It took him a few years before the memories helped him, even made him laugh or smile. It was nice...being reminded about someone he loved. It was like thinking about Maria or the professor. Her innocent face and his knowing eyes used to torture Shadow. Blaze told him that it didn't have to be like that. He never forgot it.

_"I know how you feel Shadow, but you can't forget about people so special to you, especially Maria and Professor Robotnik. They are a part of you!" _

Just like how Blaze was a part of him now.

Shadow placed the frame back down and moved on to the next. It was Gardon and Blaze once again, but this time, Blaze looked to be five or six. Judging by the happiness in their expressions, Shadow guessed that the photo was taken before the death of Blaze's parents. Gardon wore a long-white sleeved shirt with a green sweater vest over it and dress pants. He clutched little Blaze, or "Missy," as he called her, to his chest. He must have been spinning her around when the picture was taken. Blaze's hair was wrapped up in her trademark ponytail, with a few tresses blowing across her face. Her eyes were shimmering as they stared into Shadow's. A haunting feeling ran through his spine and he decided to move on to one of the few pictures remaining. He soon regretted it.

In a large jewel-encrusted frame, there was a photograph of a relatively young looking Blaze and a hedgehog with silver fur and startling yellow eyes. They were hugging each other, and Shadow saw that Blaze was smiling. Not like how she was before, it was much smaller and sombre, but she still looked happy. The hedgehog looked ecstatic, then again, he _was_ hugging Blaze. Shadow felt a stab of jealousy run through him as he stared at the picture, and he watched his hand place the picture face first onto the tabletop, keeping the picture from his sight. He knew who that hedgehog was, and he knew he was acting foolish. That hedgehog had to be Silver, the boy who Blaze was so fond of when she was young. He could distinctly remember hearing Blaze's sobs as he cried into his chest, after she had confessed her anger and sadness over Silver's disappearance.

_"Being here, with all of you, reminds me of how happy I was with him. Knowing that I will have to leave you all again, it hurts even more! I'm so torn right now, you can't imagine the pain. I hate having to bottle up all of these feelings so no one will feel sorry for me!"_

Even now, the friendship between Blaze and Silver resembled that of his and Maria's. Hesitantly, he set the picture upright, knowing that he couldn't look at his reflection if he left it hidden from the world. He hated guilt...a lot.

Shadow stole a glance at the grandfather clock. It was still running, but for some reason, it didn't tick. It dawned on Shadow just how silent the room was. So devoid of sound...of life. _It's not right_, he thought. _She was too young. It should've been me, not her._

There was a trace of nostalgia as Shadow sat down on Blaze's bed. He had always felt guilty about what happened. He knew Sonic and Rouge did as well. For Sonic, it was the constant thought nagging at his throat that he should've been there to stop her. Shadow reminded him that Blaze was stubborn, and even if he hadn't gone to alert the firemen, he most likely wouldn't have been able to change her mind anyway. His words had little effect.

When he thought about Rouge, he couldn't help but remember the day of the funeral. After the ceremony, they had all gathered in the basement of the church for a meal and a toast to Blaze's life. It was a bittersweet feast, with lots of chatter and lots of crying and lots of laughing. There was sympathy and remorse, hugs and pats-on-the-shoulders.

"_A toast," said Sonic, lifting his glasses as he beckoned others to do the same, "to Blaze. She might have not known it, but we all loved her."_

"_Here, here!"_

_The sound of glasses clinking together and people talking overwhelmed the room. Truthfully, Shadow had not been paying much attention. He didn't sit with the others. Instead, he sat by himself near the back, watching the others. His eyes had been threatening tears all day, but he managed to keep himself together. He just wanted to be alone at the moment, but felt as if he should stay._

_All of a sudden, he could see Rouge sit up, mutter something quickly to those at her table, and she began to walk away before running in a full sprint out of sight. Thinking that something had happened to her, he followed her in the direction she went, before he realized that he hadn't seen where she had gone._

_Shadow turned on his heel to head back when his eyes perked. He could hear something. Following the sound up the stairs, he saw Rouge sitting on the top step, sobbing into her arms. He took another step closer, and when the wood creaked under his weight, she looked up. She hurriedly tried to wipe away her tears and running mascara."Sh-Shadow, what are you doing here?" As if to distract him, she added lamely: "You're not following me, are you?"_

"_Rouge, I heard you crying."_

_She gazed at him with her jade eyes wide open. They were bloodshot and shining with newly formed tears. She looked horrible. "So what if I was? It doesn't mean anything..."_

_She had not expected him to sit down beside her, letting his head hang down and letting out a repressed sigh. "I know you hate showing weakness. You can be a lot like me sometimes."_

"_Don't insult me like that!"_

"_That wasn't an insult!" Shadow yelled, mentally scolding himself for doing so. He really didn't need Sonic or Amy or anyone to come and see them like this. "I'm just saying that I know you've been trying not to cry this whole day. I could tell." He paused to smile at her and wrap an arm around her tense shoulders. "You don't have to keep it all in."_

_Rouge forced a smile back. "You should try taking your own advice sometime."_

_Shadow hated himself for it, but he let a few stray tears fall down his face. They went unnoticed though, as Rouge's smile broke and she began to sob quietly into Shadow's shoulder. That's the way they stayed. He couldn't pinpoint how long they sat there, crying and chatting, blaming themselves for what happened. The time didn't matter. The healing did._

Frustrated, Shadow shoved any thought about the funeral out of his head. His thoughts were stubborn, but so was he. He wasn't going to go have another: "Shadow-has-gone-emo-and-is-going-to-hit-the-drugs-again-and-jump-off-a-roof episode." At least, that's what Sonic called it. He got a black eye afterwards.

_Oh, great, more positive thoughts, _Shadow scolded himself. The room was releasing too many memories. He needed to get out. His fears were confirmed when he spotted a scarf on her bureau. The same one she had been wearing the last time he saw her before the fire.

If didn't know any better, Shadow would have thought that a bomb had just exploded in his chest. No, he didn't want to remember. He didn't want to go through the pain again. Tears threatening to fall, he brushed them away hurriedly and made his way to the door. He stopped dead in his tracks.

He could hear laughter. Soft, feminine laughter.

_No, it can't be._

Shadow followed the laughter so that he was once again standing in the center of the room. The giggling was familiar. It sounded happy. Even though his eyes were watering, he began to laugh. He knew that voice. It was heartbreaking. But, that wasn't what made him leave the room. No, it was what he saw.

His mind told him to look into the mirror. He did so, and flinched at what he saw.

In the mirror was himself. Jet black fur with reddened spines. Cold eyes that were harsh and tired, bloodshot from the tears he was shedding. A faded tan muzzle. A greying white patch of fur on his chest. The bomber jacket he had worn for years and black pants. He looked so much older. Time had taken its toll on him.

And standing right behind him, with her hand caressing his shoulder lovingly and her golden orbs staring straight ahead, was Blaze the Cat. She looked much the same, dressed in the same royal attire he had gotten used to. She seemed to be the same age, as her looks had matured and she looked awfully young beside Shadow. The only difference was her hair. It was out of its ponytail. It hung around her face and ears, the lavender waves reaching her shoulders.

Shadow managed to stare for only a few seconds before he couldn't hold his breath any longer and ran out of the room. Locking the door, he swore to himself that he would never go in that room again.

Ever.

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**And the Emohog prevails! Just sayin'.**

**Read and review!**

**-Kendell  
**


	30. Closure

**Yes, an update! PLEASE READ: THIS IS IMPORTANT!**

**This is the last chapter. Yep. THERE WILL BE AN EPILOGUE, SO THAT WILL BE THE END OF THE STORY. NEXT CHAPTER WILL THE FINAL UPDATE OF THE STORY AND THEN THIS WILL FINALLY BE COMPLETED!**

**So, since this is technically the last chapter, is there anything spectacular? Any surprises? Any new information? Anything exciting?**

**The answer is simply 'no.'**

**I thought about many different ways to do this chapter, and really, I like this. It's simple. It's happy. It gives the story and the characters closure. Of course, there is still the epilogue. But the epilogue itself will be fairly short, just revealing the fate of a few characters and basically completing the knot this story has been making for a long time.**

**My own views on the story, thank yous, story stats, and all that will be on my last author's note at the end of the epilogue.**

**I just want to give an early thanks to all who reviewed my story. This story helped me grow as a writer, and all of you certainly helped me along the way. Thank you so much.**

**Disclaimer: Endings are not always happy :( But Sonic the Hedgehog is! :D SMILEY FACE!**

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Weary, ruby eyes opened slowly. Everything was out of focus, no matter how hard Shadow squinted. Murmured voices became clearer as he sat up, rubbing his eyes. He glanced around the room.

_Wait..._

_...the hell?_

He wasn't outside Blaze's bedroom anymore. He wasn't in a familiar room at all. Turning to his left, Shadow saw Rouge talking to her daughter, something about someone waking up. He assumed that his lifelong friend was referring to him. Shadow took the temporary silence as a moment to think:

One: how the HELL did he get here?

Two: why was Rouge ignoring his existence all of a sudden?

Three: where in Chaos was he?

Four: ... what the hell?

"Shadow, you're okay!"

Shadow didn't have time to react before two arms wrapped him in a tight hug. Amethyst pulled away as quick as she had lunged at him. "Mom and I were worried about you...everyone was."

"Okay, where the hell am I?"

Rouge punched his shoulder hard. "Calm down, would you? We're in one of the guest rooms. Stop being so rude!"

Amethyst sighed. "When you came back, you walked out of the castle and onto the beach. When we finally found you, you were passed out."

Shadow gave her a confusing look. He didn't remember anything about being on a beach. He remembered closing the doors of Blaze's bedroom...

...and then everything became blurred.

Rouge, noticing the blank expression, turned to her daughter. "Amethyst, go see if Sonic's still bleeding."

Amethyst glanced from her mother to Shadow. Shadow was well aware of the long standing crush the girl had on him, so he used it to his advantage. Smirking, he leaned over and patted her shoulder. "I'm fine, Amethyst. Do what your mother says."

Blushing, the young bat-echidna hybrid smiled. "I guess I could go check his bandages," she said, practically skipping out of the room. As soon as the door closed behind her, Rouge punched Shadow again, this time in the face. A loud growl emitted from his mouth.

"What was _that_ for!"

"You pervert!" she hollered, jabbing a finger in his chest with every word. Turned out Rouge got more violent with age. "Don't use your mysterious charm to flirt with my daughter!"

"I wasn't flirting with your daughter! And I'm _not _a pervert!"

Tails, who had come in to see if Shadow had woken up, stood in the doorway. "Er, who's a pervert?"

"NO ONE IS A PERVERT! NOW GET OUT!" Tails narrowly dodge a well-aimed pillow before escaping out of the room.

As soon as Shadow loosened his grip on another pillow, Rouge sat down on the edge of the bed. "You went to see her room, didn't you?"

"...Yes," came the hesitant answer.

"I thought so. You looked upset."

A frown formed on Shadow's muzzle. "I don't remember going on the beach."

"Well," Rouge started, "you came back, but you didn't talk to us. You just kept walking until you were outside. We decided to follow you to make sure you were okay, and when we got to the coastline, you were falling down." Shadow saw a glimmer of concern in her eyes. "You were unconscious, so we had to carry you back to the guestroom. It's been a few hours."

Shadow placed his hand over hers. "I'm fine...I just can't remember any of it."

"You probably will, just not right now." Rouge looked up and grinned. "I'm glad to see you're fine though. Amethyst was telling the truth when she said we were all worried."

"Hn, yeah right. You would probably be happy to see the back of me."

"Do you want another punch?"

"On second thought, my presence is needed here."

"Of course it is!" Rouge stood up, but not before pinching Shadow's cheeks. "If you weren't with me, who would I call 'Emohog?'" Shadow impatiently slapped her hands away and copied her movements as he climbed out of bed. Rouge's eyebrows furrowed.

"Where do you think you're going? You should rest!"

Shadow ignored her, passing her as he left the room. "According to my sources, I've been resting for the last few hours. Besides, I want to see how badly you injured Sonic."

Although he didn't see it, Rouge devilishly smirked in response.

**Later...**

"Shadow, if you're going to keep staring at me like that, I'm leaving."

"That just gives me another reason to continue staring."

"Oh, you're hilarious, Shadow. Hardy har har."

Oh yes, Shadow was enjoying this. He hadn't seen Sonic this bad-off in years. He would have been happier if it was himself that had given Sonic the bruises and cuts, but this would do.

Amy sighed, tucking a spine behind her headband. "Rouge, I know you and Sonic like to..."

"Play rough?" Tails suggested.

"...uh, play rough, but next time, can you please keep from actually drawing blood? I have to clean that sweater now! Do you know how hard it is to get blood out of clothes?"

Sonic was aghast. "Your husband is brutally beaten and all you think about is laundry day? _Laundry day_? I am hurt, Amy Rose. I am so very hurt."

It took Amy a few moments before she finally looked at Sonic. "Huh, did you say something?"

Sonic huffed and puffed and was about to blow the house down when he held in his outburst. Instead, he stood up. "I'm gonna see what Knuckles is doing..." he grumbled, stomping (more like limping) away from the gathering. Amy let out another sigh before following him, calling his name over and over.

It was only Shadow, Tails and Rouge remained. Many of the kids were either talking together or in bed. Marine was trying to figure out a board game with Knuckles. Sonic and Amy were having an argument (although it wasn't much of one). Yet with all the activity, the palace hummed with tranquility.

Shadow watched Tails and Rouge talk. It was hard to believe that, in the eyes of the law, Rouge was Tails' mother. He would have never guessed that Rouge would take the boy in, helping him grow, playing with him, acting years beyond her age...like a mother. She acted like a mother until she actually became one with her own son and daughter. Together with Knuckles they made the perfect little package. A very unusual one, but a nice one.

Even after so many years, Shadow couldn't help but wonder what life would have been like if Blaze had lived. Would they have stayed together? Would they have gotten married and had children of their own? Would they have built their own house or moved into the palace? What dimension would they have stayed in? Would they have watched their grandchildren play as an elderly couple?

So many questions with no answers.

It was so frustrating.

Shadow bid Mother and Son a goodnight and retreated towards his room. He somehow ended up on the sand, staring out at the ocean. What was with him and wandering off? Maybe Sonic was right: maybe he did need counseling.

The last few days Shadow spent surrounded by his friends. There didn't seem to be a day that went by where he didn't call someone "annoying" or made sure everyone knew that he was only there because he "doesn't have anything better to do." None of that was true though, and they knew that. Deep down, Shadow was happy to see them. He liked seeing them fight and laugh. He loved being part of it. Most of all, Shadow loved feeling alive again.

Not bothering to look back at the coastline as he re-entered the palace, Shadow made his way back to Sonic's room.

_When Blaze died, _Shadow thought, _I questioned how I would ever feel again..._

"Shadow, you need something?"

"I forgot. I didn't call you a moron today."

"Love you too," Sonic replied, his words dripping with sarcasm. The cocky grin resurfaced. "Want to put on some bed sheets and go scare Knuckles?"

_...Now, I think I finally know the answer._

"I thought you would never ask."

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**I quite like this chapter :) I like it a lot. **

**REMEMBER TO READ THE EPILOGUE! I hope to have the epilogue up tomorrow or the day after! :D**

**-Kendell  
**


	31. The End, Epilogue

**MY LAST AUTHOR'S NOTE IS AT THE END OF THE EPILOGUE! FOR THANK YOUS, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, STORY STATS AND RAMBLINGS, IT WILL BE AT THE END!**

**Ohhhh, it's so sad. I can't believe that this story is over :( It's hard to believe how this story evolved. I planned to make it only ten or fifteen chapters. My goal was ten reviews. This story became so much more, and I think it's all because of you guys. There was lots I wanted to do with this story, but if I didn't have the encouragement and tips and suggestions from all of you I probably would have ended this story in a very different and very shorter way. So, thank you guys. I mean it :D But anyway, longer rant and stats and stuff will be at my final author's note D:**

**Disclaimer: This is my final disclaimer...I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD GET SO ATTACHED TO THESE THINGS. -beings crying- WHY DIDN'T YOU SUE ME SEGA? WHY!**

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Every death is sad, but not all are tragic.

Shadow, in his sixties, died one star-filled night. He passed away in his sleep, warm and comfortable under the sheets of his bed. He was the first one of the gang to pass away as an elder.

It was a simple ceremony. Everyone was wearing the traditional black as they mourned their loss. The whole gang was there, including many others, such as fellow G.U.N. agents, Vector, Espio and Charmy, and Vanilla, Cream and Cheese. "Everyone and their brother is here," was how Sonic put it. None of them had thought they would see the day Shadow the Hedgehog would die. They had the misfortune of witnessing just that.

They were all shocked when they were informed of his death. He had only been talking to them hours before he left to go home, saying that he was tired and felt like going to bed. Amy couldn't understand how Shadow was fine then but died in the same night. She felt horrible about not noticing something was wrong. To try and cheer her up, Sonic jokingly mentioned how he wouldn't have anyone to call "faker" anymore. Deep down, he was going to miss being called that a lot.

Yet, if Shadow had to die, they were glad that he died the way he did.

Peacefully, happily, _normally._

The day after the funeral, an older married couple walked through the streets, hand-in-hand with their two grandchildren. One of them was a white bat, whose looks hid her true age. The other was a red echidna, who could honestly not care less about how old he looked.

It was the perfect day for a walk. Many people roamed around outside, enjoying the sunshine and the familiar spring smell of fresh flowers. Rouge was unsure of how she felt about the day. Her best friend's funeral was only yesterday, and already people were moving on. At the same time, the sun somehow cheered her up. She liked to think it was Shadow's way of saying, "Don't be sad. Yeah, I'm dead. Get over it. Move on. I'll probably see you soon anyway." The thought of him saying that almost made her smile.

Almost.

"It was a nice service," Knuckles commented out of the blue. He nearly fell to the ground when his grandson gave a surprising strong tug on his arm to move faster.

Rouge glanced at him with a stone mask on, not letting on that Shadow's death had made her more aware of how old they were getting, or how fast the time was passing. "Yes, it was."

"It must be harder on you. You were his best friend up to the end. I was his friend, too...but..."

"I know what you mean," Rouge laughed. "Don't worry, he considered you a friend, just like everyone else."

There was a silence until their granddaughter spoke up. "Are you talking about Mr. Shadow, Nanny?"

Rouge nodded. The way Locke's daughter, Sherry, spoke so softly reminded her of Cream when she was young.

"I'm gonna miss him," the little girl confessed. "He always tickled me."

"Oh yeah, we know," Knuckles intervened. He rolled his eyes jokingly. "We could hear your giggling from a mile away."

Amethyst's son, who she named after her father, turned to his namesake with a smirk. "We could hear your screams just as loud when Uncle Sonic and Uncle Shadow would put on those sheets and-"

"Don't be a smart mouth," Knuckles grumbled, flicking the back of the boy's head. "Hard to believe, two men at their age, donning bedsheets and pretending to be ghosts almost every month just so they could have a laugh."

"It's odd, isn't it?" questioned Rouge, thoughtfully. "I never thought that Shadow and Sonic would become such good friends. They always had that stubborn rivalry between them, much like how you and Sonic used to-"

"Nanny, Poppy!"

"Yes?"

"Can we get some ice cream?"

"Hmm, I suppose, since you did eat lunch." Rouge linked arms with Knuckles and laid her head on his shoulder. "How about it, Knuxie? You can treat us."

Knuckles cocked an eyebrow. "Why do I have to pay for everything all the time?"

Rouge looked him straight in the eyes. "You're forgetting who the bread winner here is."

"Bread winner? What are you talking about? I have the more important duties!" Knuckles argued. Rouge crossed her arms and a frown formed on her muzzle. The children sighed and took a few steps back. A sudden eruption of yelling and arguing came from the couple as people walking by stared at the unusual (and excruciatingly loud) sight.

"Who had to try continuing her life while living on a floating island which, made I add, made it difficult to try and keep up with her work, huh? I lived on that island even if I didn't want to! I was right all along! That island had the same stinky smell as echidnas do!"

"For the last time, _I DO NOT SMELL!_"

Rouge was about to shout back a retort when she saw a familiar-looking car drive up the street. Something about the way it looked caught her eye. Everything around her became silent and stilled. The only thing she could make out clearly was the car passing by.

_That red convertible...it looks just like...no, it couldn't be..._

The convertible gleamed in the sunlight, the hood pulled down so the passengers could take in the sky. It wasn't the car that took Rouge's breath away. It was the people inside.

What looked like an eighteen-year-old Shadow the Hedgehog was behind the wheel, wearing his trademark smirk. Beside him in the passenger seat was a fourteen-year-old Blaze, her ponytail blowing behind her as they sped along. They laughed about something, glancing at each other as the laughing faded. The two glanced at Rouge as they drove by, and smiled.

Rouge stood there, frozen, but something in her heart let her smile. Ignoring the tears swelling up in her jade eyes and odd feeling in her stomach, she watched them drive into the distance before fading out of sight right before her.

"Rouge?"

The sound of her name made Rouge whirl around. Knuckles Senior, Junior and Sherry stood there, giving her concerned looks. "Are you alright, Grandma?" asked Knuckles Junior.

Rouge took a moment to gaze at the spot where she watched them disappear. _They looked so happy. Did I really see what I think I did?_

Shaking the thought out of her head, Rouge re-linked arms with her husband and grinned. "I'm absolutely fine. I was just thinking of Shadow and Blaze." There was a fuzzy feeling in her chest as she thought about the couple. "At least they're together now."

Knuckles nodded in approval, staring up at the cloudless sky. "Yeah, you're right."

Sherry reached up and intertwined her fingers with Rouge's. "So, you guys aren't sad anymore?"

Rouge and Knuckles exchanged smiles. "No, we know Shadow is being taken care of." On that note, the four continued walking, knowing that their deaths wasn't an end, but a new beginning.

...

There was approximately 4.5 seconds for Rouge in take in what she saw when-

"Like I said before, _I'm _the bread winner of the house."

"Oh, I'm sorry sweetie, I wasn't aware they paid people to look after rocks."

"_IT'S NOT A ROCK! IT'S A-_"

"Are we still having ice cream?"

"Yes, we are, and _Grandma's _paying for it."

"Refer to my age _one more time_ and I swear-!"

**The End.**

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**"_**No one actually needs another person or another person's love to survive. Love is when we have irrationally convinced ourselves that we do." –Elsewhere, Gabrielle Zevin**_

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**And that, my dear readers/reviewers/friends/amigos/peeps, is the end of "This New, Unwanted Feeling." Will I be still writing Shadaze after this story? Yes I will. I have another big multi-chapter in mind that will be a lot like this, only funnier with a wider range of characters called, "Are We Having Fun, Yet?" If you wanna check out more, check out my profile. I will be also writing Sonic one-shots, so I'm not leaving the Sonic fandom anytime soon :P**

**My thoughts on this story: it's what life is basically. Sad, happy, corny and horribly cliched. Yeah, the cliches that happen in life usually aren't the same as those in the novels we read or the movies we watch, but they are there, and I hope I did manage to put some of life's most fluffiest, sweetest, darkest and saddest moments in here. **

**My main goal with this story was to flesh out the characters. I wanted each one to have a backstory. The only one that I didn't really focus on was Knuckles, but that's because he already pretty much had one, and a good one at that (being the last echidna, which is what I believe he is, screw Shade and the rest of them!) All of them are pretty depressing, I know, but their lives in this story were pretty much happy, and they all had each other. I think sometimes you need to go through someone sad and tragic before you realize what and who you really care about.**

**I want to say thank you SO MUCH, thank you, thank you, THANK. YOU. ALL. for the reviews and the pms and the criticisms and the opinions and the stories and everything else you have given me. That was my favorite thing about this story, it connected with a lot of you! Some of you told me how some events of the story reflected to some in your life, or how you always wanted one character to do that because of this, or how you thought this story could improve if I didn't go this way with the story but went a different way, and because of all the reviews and all the friends I did make from this, this story that started off as something of a whim turned into something that I actually cared about and took time writing.**

**I do think this helped me improve, mostly because my awesome reviewers would show me correct punctuations, spacing techniques and stuff like that. Now my other writing is better because of this story. I LOVE this story, and it's my favorite to date. It's...I dunno, GIMONGUS (yes, I made up that word, shut up) and it's pretty predictable, but I love it for its flaws. I grew as a writer with this story, and that's something that I like to think is special.**

**Once again, thank you, each and every one of you. Even if you left a bad review or nothing but criticisms, I don't care! You took the time to read and review, and that means something to me. So, thanks for that. :) I will miss updating and I will miss looking forward to what you guys think, but life goes on. I hope to keep in touch with a lot of you though :D**

**And to end this very LONG rant, here are the current stats for this story. I think it's safe to say it was a SUCCESS.**

**This is Kendell, AKA Peachykatara, signing out and saying, hope you liked the epilogue and everything that came before it!**

**STATS:**

**As of January 30th, 2011:  
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**32 chapters long **

**286 reviews **

**20, 193 hits**

**49 favorites**

**39 alerts  
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